CSU San Marcos vs Fayetteville State

California State University-San Marcos (CSUSM) and Fayetteville State University (FSU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics. CSUSM, located in the vibrant city of San Marcos, California, boasts an acceptance rate of 78%, while FSU, situated in the historic city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has a slightly lower acceptance rate of 68%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with CSUSM excelling in fields like business, psychology, and criminal justice, and FSU excelling in areas such as education, nursing, and social work. While CSUSM's student body is predominantly Hispanic, FSU's student body is predominantly African American. Additionally, CSUSM has a higher graduation rate of 59% compared to FSU's 48%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore
California State University-San Marcos logo

California State University-San Marcos

Fayetteville State University logo

Fayetteville State University

Overview

Location San Marcos, California Fayetteville, North Carolina
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 63.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 93.3% 82.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 830 - 1040
ACT range N/A 14 - 19
Students submitting SAT score 5.0%
Students submitting ACT score 19.0%
Total number of applicants 13,986 4,135
Total number of admissions given out 13,049 3,393
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,413 632
Yield rate 18.5% 18.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,366

Out of state: $34,246
In state: $16,256

Out of state: $27,864
Average net price $14,296 $6,718
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $2,982

Out of state: $14,590
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,513

Meal plan: $4,103
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

70.0%
Average amount $9,298
80.0%
Average amount $10,353
Students receiving federal student loan 22.0%
Average amount $4,734
50.0%
Average amount $5,121
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,988
1.0%
Average amount $14,334

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 14,963
Men 38.4% Women 61.6%
5,557
Men 29.5% Women 70.5%
Graduate students 1,292
Men 28.4% Women 71.6%
1,191
Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 1.5% 13.2%
International students 3.4% 0.7%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,547 1,600
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Colorado Washington Virginia Arizona North Carolina South Carolina Florida Maryland Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 25:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 59.2% 37.3%
Dropout rate 33.6% 28.7%
Transferred out 2.6% 31.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,746
  • Year 2: $103,555
  • Year 3: $111,324
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,827
  • Year 2: $88,074
  • Year 3: $90,666
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,843
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $83,791
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $66,941
  • Year 3: $72,765
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,962
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $71,818
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,769
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $68,571
Physics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $65,899
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,297
  • Year 2: $49,520
  • Year 3: $62,797
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,252
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $59,957
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $45,864
  • Year 3: $57,022
Fire Protection (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $72,387
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,808
  • Year 2: $61,814
  • Year 3: $67,668
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,635
  • Year 2: $52,420
  • Year 3: $58,640
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $50,270
  • Year 3: $58,221
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,997
  • Year 2: $42,961
  • Year 3: $45,480
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $40,467
  • Year 3: $44,387
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,992
  • Year 3: $41,981
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,747
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $38,154
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,893
  • Year 2: $36,642
  • Year 3: $36,501
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,348
  • Year 2: $29,202
  • Year 3: $33,786

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