CSU San Marcos 2024 Tuition Fees & Total Cost of Attendance

In-State Tuition & Fees

$7,727

Cost of attendance at California State University-San Marcos in 2022 for students from California.

See how the college's in-state sticker price compares to 4 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$6,749
National average	$8,573

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees

$19,607

Cost of attendance at California State University-San Marcos in 2022 for the out-of-state and international students

See how the college's out-of-state sticker price compares to 4 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$20,840
National average	$18,862

Average Net Price

The net price represents the amount of money students pay after receiving financial aid. In 2022, the average net price for first-year, full-time students at California State University-San Marcos was $14,296. This amount varies among students due to the different levels of financial aid offered based on their family's financial status.

Financial aid includes federal, state, or local government grants and institutional grants and scholarships

Visit the financial aid page for more in-depth stats and analysis of financial aids offered at CSU San Marcos

CSU San Marcos net price calculator

$14,296

Below is the average net price of 4 year, public colleges in California and nationwide.

California's average	$10,382
National average	$12,582

Below is the net price of CSU San Marcos for the past 10 years categorized by different levels of family income brackets.
Year	Average	Price Change	Less than $30k	$30k to $48k	$48k to $75k	$75k to $110k	over $110k
2022	$14,296	$1,363 (11%)	$10,788	$11,435	$15,100	$19,397	$22,843
2021	$12,933	$77	$9,397	$10,348	$14,309	$18,439	$21,551
2020	$13,010	$396 (3%)	$9,517	$10,347	$14,582	$18,620	$21,627
2019	$12,614	$2,160 (21%)	$9,107	$10,285	$14,272	$17,945	$21,200
2018	$10,454	$1,469 (16%)	$6,575	$7,882	$12,416	$16,316	$18,645
2017	$8,985	$1,558 (15%)	$5,417	$6,842	$10,957	$15,653	$17,564
2016	$10,543	$2,818 (36%)	$6,663	$8,086	$11,364	$16,438	$18,527
2015	$7,725	$3,408 (31%)	$5,509	$7,269	$10,382	$15,935	$17,461
2014	$11,133	--	$8,427	$10,190	$13,862	$18,845	$20,087

Cost of Attendance Breakdown and Change History

The table below presents the breakdown of California State University-San Marcos's in-state sticker price (cost of attendance) into different categories, along with their trends over the past ten years:
Year	Sticker Price (COA)	Cost Change	Tuition & Fees	Room & Board	Books & Supplies
2022	$22,366	$6,820 (23%)	$7,727	$13,521	$1,118
2021	$29,186	$2	$7,712	$20,402	$1,072
2020	$29,188	$1,595 (6%)	$7,717	$19,471	$2,000
2019	$27,593	$1,779 (7%)	$7,713	$17,880	$2,000
2018	$25,814	$1,173 (5%)	$7,653	$16,307	$1,854
2017	$24,641	$114	$7,383	$15,494	$1,764
2016	$24,527	$527 (2%)	$7,269	$15,494	$1,764
2015	$24,000	$1,712 (8%)	$7,169	$15,085	$1,746
2014	$22,288	$1,023 (4%)	$6,649	$13,929	$1,710
2013	$23,311	--	$6,452	$15,122	$1,737

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions that may help you in your college cost research.

Does CSU San Marcos provide dormitory? How much is the cost?: The college makes 1,547 dormitories available to its students at $9,200 per school year. One academic year is typically nine months, so the cost of on-campus housing at CSU San Marcos is $1,022 per month.
What is the average cost of textbooks and course materials per annum?: CSU San Marcos estimates that a full-time first-year student would need approximately $1,118.
Are there any additional expenses, such as transportation or personal expenses, that I should consider?: Depending on living arrangement, CSU San Marcos estimates that students would need the following amount for personal and miscellaneous expenses. This category covers additional costs that students may incur throughout the academic year, such as transportation, personal supplies, and leisure activities.

If living on-campus: $2,658

If living off-campus, with family: $3,364

If living off-campus, not with family: $3,330
How much is CSU San Marcos application fees?: The application fee for undergraduate students is $70 and $70 for graduates.
Are there any payment plans or options for installment payments?: CSU San Marcos offers the following payment plans: Prepaid tuition plan, Guaranteed tuition plan, Other alternative tuition plan

Housing and Meal

California State University-San Marcos offers separate meal and housing plans to its students, allowing them to choose either option based on their preferences. Here is a historical data of the housing and meal plan offered at California State University-San Marcos for the past 7 years.
Year	Meal price	Housing price	Combined price	Dorm capacity
2022	N/A	$9,200	N/A	1,547
2021	N/A	$8,296	N/A	1,547
2020	N/A	$8,296	N/A	1,547
2019	N/A	$10,000	N/A	1,548
2018	N/A	$10,000	N/A	1,516
2017	N/A	$9,834	N/A	1,530
2016	N/A	$9,675	N/A	1,460

Tuition Plans

Tuition plans offered by California State University-San Marcos during 2022 academic year.

Prepaid tuition plan

Not Offered
Guaranteed tuition plan

Not Offered
Tuition payment plan

Offered
Other alternative tuition plan

Not Offered

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California State University-San Marcos