CSU San Marcos vs Nevada State College

California State University-San Marcos (CSUSM) and Nevada State College (NSC) are two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. CSUSM, located in the vibrant city of San Marcos, California, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while NSC, situated in the heart of Henderson, Nevada, prides itself on its small class sizes and personalized attention. With acceptance rates of 78% and 85% respectively, both universities welcome a substantial number of applicants each year. While CSUSM's student body is predominantly Hispanic, NSC's student population is more evenly distributed across various ethnicities. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the ideal fit for your academic and personal aspirations.
California State University-San Marcos logo

California State University-San Marcos

Nevada State College logo

Nevada State College

Overview

Location San Marcos, California Henderson, Nevada
Campus setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
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% 76.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 93.3% 79.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 13,986 1,230
Total number of admissions given out 13,049 972
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,413 348
Yield rate 18.5% 35.8%
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 Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,366

Out of state: $34,246
In state: $24,651

Out of state: $38,016
Average net price $14,296 $17,046
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $5,400

Out of state: $18,765
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

70.0%
Average amount $9,298
95.0%
Average amount $6,349
Students receiving federal student loan 22.0%
Average amount $4,734
15.0%
Average amount $5,218
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,988
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 14,963
Men 38.4% Women 61.6%
7,158
Men 26.4% Women 73.6%
Graduate students 1,292
Men 28.4% Women 71.6%
69
Men 7.2% Women 92.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 1.5% 1.4%
International students 3.4% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,547 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Colorado Washington Virginia Arizona Nevada California Nebraska Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 25:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 59.2% 28.5%
Dropout rate 33.6% 42.2%
Transferred out 2.6% 27.3%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,550
  • Year 2: $71,633
  • Year 3: $73,359
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,875
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $53,597
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,172
  • Year 2: $46,673
  • Year 3: $45,124
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,747
  • Year 2: $28,443
  • Year 3: $25,475
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,178
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,070
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,265
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,525
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,061
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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