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# Schools Similar to California State University-San Marcos

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/)[Cost & aid](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/admissions/)[Majors](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/majors/)Similar schools

**On this page**+

## Compare alternatives to CSUSM

-   [Similar admissions profiles](#similar-admissions) · 5 matches
-   [Nearby alternatives](#nearby-alternatives) · 5 matches
-   [Lower cost with similar earnings](#lower-cost) · 5 matches
-   [Similar overall profiles](#related-peers) · 10 matches

## Similar admissions profiles

Similar admissions profiles · matching order within this group

| School | CSUSM · admission rate | Admission rate | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [California State University-San Bernardino](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/) | 95.1% | 93.7% | $55,441 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Dominguez Hills](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/) | 95.1% | 93.3% | $58,922 4 years after completion |
| Life Pacific University | 95.1% | 95.8% | $47,070 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/) | 95.1% | 95.3% | $59,992 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Channel Islands](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/) | 95.1% | 94.8% | $59,304 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Nearby alternatives

Nearby alternatives · matching order within this group

| School | State | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/) | CA | $64,926 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/) | CA | $74,438 4 years after completion |
| Occidental College | CA | $68,467 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/) | CA | $70,323 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/) | CA | $59,992 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Lower cost with similar earnings

Lower cost with similar earnings · matching order within this group

| School | CSUSM · average annual net price | Average annual net price | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [California State University-Los Angeles](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/) | $10,229 | $3,967 | $59,756 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Fullerton](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/) | $10,229 | $6,555 | $63,753 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Dominguez Hills](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/) | $10,229 | $8,615 | $58,922 4 years after completion |
| [CUNY Queens College](/school/cuny-queens-college/) | $10,229 | $4,195 | $68,713 4 years after completion |
| [CUNY Lehman College](/school/cuny-lehman-college/) | $10,229 | $3,148 | $63,353 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Similar overall profiles

Similar overall profiles · matching order within this group

| School | State | Earnings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/) | CA | $65,228 4 years after completion |
| [San Francisco State University](/school/san-francisco-state-university/) | CA | $67,804 4 years after completion |
| [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/) | CA | $67,085 4 years after completion |
| Montana State University | MT | $65,157 4 years after completion |
| [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/) | HI | $61,903 4 years after completion |
| [Metropolitan State University of Denver](/school/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver/) | CO | $60,186 4 years after completion |
| [Portland State University](/school/portland-state-university/) | OR | $62,060 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-San Bernardino](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/) | CA | $55,441 4 years after completion |
| [California State University-Dominguez Hills](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/) | CA | $58,922 4 years after completion |
| [Boise State University](/school/boise-state-university/) | ID | $64,791 4 years after completion |

[Matching method and source notes](#peer-matching)

## Matching methods and sources

[How schools are matched](/methodology/).

## Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).