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Everything we have for Sam Houston State and California State University-San Marcos, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
Every row, including ones where these colleges match.
| Metric | Sam Houston State | California State University-San Marcos |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2024 | Fall 2025Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate | 90% | 95%Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 88% / 91% | 95% / 95% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | Not published | 95% / 94% / 94%Fall 2025 |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | Not published | 14% / 6.1% / 12%Fall 2025 |
| Applicants | 17,179 | 20,881Fall 2025 |
| Admitted | 15,506 | 19,864Fall 2025 |
| Enrolled | 3,270 | 2,705Fall 2025 |
| Yield | 21% | 14%Fall 2025 |
| SAT middle 50% | 930–1120 | 860–1113Fall 2025 |
| ACT middle 50% | 17–24 | – |
| Sent an SAT | – | 64 (2%)Fall 2025 |
| Sent an ACT | – | 13 (0%)Fall 2025 |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | – | 2%Fall 2025 |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | – | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | Required | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: College-prep program | Considered | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Not considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Essay | Considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Legacy status | Not considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Work experience | Considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | – | 3.32Fall 2025 |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | – | – |
| Early decision | – | Not offered2025–26 |
| Early action | – | Not offered2025–26 |
| Wait list | – | No wait listFall 2025 |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Test scores | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Interview | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Talent or ability | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: First generation | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Geographic residence | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: State residency | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Volunteer work | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | Test-blindFall 2027 applicants |
| Application fee | $50 | $70 |
| Deadlines & deposit | – | Apply by February 28 · reply by May 1 · $0 housing depositFall 2026 cycle |
| Gap year allowed | – | NoFall 2026 cycle |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | – | 83%Fall 2025 |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | Town: Distant | Suburb: Large |
| Carnegie class | Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium |
| Research activity | R2: high research | Research college or university |
| Student access & earnings | Higher Access, Medium Earnings | Higher Access, Medium Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | None | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | Hispanic-Serving | Hispanic-Serving |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division I FBS | Division II |
| Conference | Conference USA | California Collegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Semesters | Semesters |
| Undergrads | 17,743 | 15,603Fall 2025 |
| Beds in college housing | 4,112 | 1,954 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | – | 2.5%Fall 2025 |
| Women in a sorority | – | 4.1%Fall 2025 |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | – | – |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 41% | 43% |
| First-gen | 41% | 48% |
| Men / women | 37% / 63% | 43% / 57%Fall 2025 |
| Part-time students | 16% | 17%Fall 2025 |
| Students 25 and older | 14% | 18% |
| First-years from in state | 98% | 97% |
| First-years from other states | 1% | 2% |
| First-years from abroad | 0% | 1% |
| New transfer students this fall | 1,810 | 2,162 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 36% | 45% |
| Diversity index | 0.68 | 0.66Fall 2025 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 | 24 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | – | 10%Fall 2025 |
| Full-time faculty share | 79% | 46% |
| Average faculty salary | $73,727 | $108,455 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 4,025 | 3,373 |
| Most popular majors | Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 18% · Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 8% · Psychology, General 8% | Business Administration and Management, General 18% · Psychology, General 9% · Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 9% |
| Instruction spending per student | $7,981 (public, GASB accounting) | $8,419 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $9,978 (public, GASB accounting) | $2,679 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 35% | 30% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $19,290 | $19,161 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 27% | 29% |
| Net price, students with grants | $14,737 | $10,241 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $26,194 | $26,623 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $35,986 | $38,503 |
| Tuition guarantee | Yes | No |
| Promise program | Yes | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $9,228 | $7,739 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $19,020 | $19,619 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | 1% | 4% |
| First-years with grants | 66% | 71% |
| Average grant | $10,669 | $11,123 |
| Aid from the college | 8% | 46% |
| Need-based aid up to | Little need-based aid above $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | – | – |
| Aid forms | – | FAFSAFall 2026 entrants |
| Aid priority date or deadline | – | May 2 (priority)Fall 2026 entrants |
| Need met, first-years | – | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | – | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | – | – |
| Aid for international students | – | Offered2025–26 (estimated) |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $54,211 | $62,908 |
| Graduation rate | 62% | 68% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 50% | 51% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 59% | 59% |
| Pell graduation gap | 9 pts lower | 8 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 58% | 60% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 61% | 68% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 57% | 51% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 44% | 41% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 44% | 50% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | Under 30 students | 54% |
| Retention rate | 73% | 79%Entered fall 2024 |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 47% | 44% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 63% | 67% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 23% | 20% |
| Median debt | $21,983 | $17,350 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 46% | 28% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $18,250 | $12,610 |
| Website | shsu.edu | csusm.edu |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Common Data Set, most recent release;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated)About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why