San Marcos, CA · Public · Graduate degree · College Scorecard data · Updated September 10, 2026
| Tuition | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| California State University-San Marcos (in-state) | $8,082 | — |
| CA average | $16,639 | -51% |
| National average | $18,082 | -55% |
| Per year | Four years | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $8,082 | $32,328 |
| Out-of-state | $20,682 | $82,728 |
Tuition only. Housing, books and living costs are not included — most colleges publish a fuller cost-of-attendance figure.
California State University-San Marcos ranks 143 by in-state tuition among the 288 CA colleges that report a rate — lower is cheaper. Out-of-state students pay 156% more than in-state students.
| Colleges with a similar price to California State University-San Marcos | In-state tuition |
|---|---|
| California State University-Bakersfield | $8,090 |
| California State University-San Bernardino | $8,093 |
| California State University-Sacramento | $8,018 |
| San Francisco State University | $7,950 |
In-state tuition at California State University-San Marcos is $8,082 per year; out-of-state students pay $20,682.
California State University-San Marcos in-state tuition is 51% below the CA average of $16,639.
National average in-state tuition is $18,082; California State University-San Marcos is 55% below that.
$8,082 is the official in-state tuition published by College Scorecard for the most recent cohort year.
Four years of tuition at California State University-San Marcos comes to about $32,328 for an in-state student and $82,728 for an out-of-state student at current rates. That is tuition only — it excludes housing, books and living costs.
By in-state tuition, California State University-San Marcos ranks 143 out of the 288 CA colleges that report a rate — lower numbers are cheaper. The five cheapest and five most expensive colleges in the state are listed above.