Location
- California State University-San Marcos
- San Marcos, CA
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara, CA
California State University-San Marcos vs University of California-Santa Barbara
San Marcos, CA · Santa Barbara, CA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate
Scorecard match plate
Pair CA:CA
PUBLIC-PAIR · SAME-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-GAP · GAP-ACCEPT
- PUBLIC-PAIR Public pair
- SAME-STATE Same state · CA
- ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
- NET-SPLIT Net-price split
- EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-GAP Completion gap
- GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ADM-ASYM · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
Selectivity moved on only one side of this board
ADM-ASYM · 2013–2023
Over 2013–2023, one school's acceptance-rate series clears the r² ≥ 0.40 floor while the other does not. Read the directional claim as one-sided, then check the companion metric below.
- California State University-San Marcos: acceptance rate eased +53.1% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.69).
- University of California-Santa Barbara: acceptance rate tightened -37.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.63).
- California State University-San Marcos: enrollment grew +32.6% over 2013–2023; fitted +369 students/yr fitted, r² 0.62.
- University of California-Santa Barbara: enrollment grew +19.8% over 2013–2023; fitted +397 students/yr fitted, r² 0.83.
College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.
Scorecard metrics
Undergraduate Enrollment
Acceptance Rate
Out-of-State Tuition
In-State Tuition
Avg Net Price
150%-Time Completion
Median Debt at Graduation
Median Earnings (10 yr)
Retention Rate
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Location | San Marcos, CA | Santa Barbara, CA |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 14,877 | 23,113 |
| Acceptance Rate | 95.1% | 33.0% |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $20,682 | $50,614 |
| In-State Tuition | $8,082 | $16,414 |
| Avg Net Price | $10,229 | $16,109 |
| 150%-Time Completion | 54.4% | 84.3% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $17,350 | $13,993 |
| Median Earnings (10 yr) | $62,908 | $74,915 |
| Retention Rate | 78.6% | 93.0% |
Largest gaps: California State University-San Marcos vs University of California-Santa Barbara
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE University of California-Santa Barbara leads on acceptance rate (33.0% vs 95.1% at California State University-San Marcos)
- OUT-OF-STATE-TUITI California State University-San Marcos leads on out-of-state tuition ($20,682 vs $50,614 at University of California-Santa Barbara)
- IN-STATE-TUITION California State University-San Marcos leads on in-state tuition ($8,082 vs $16,414 at University of California-Santa Barbara)
California State University-San Marcos profile · University of California-Santa Barbara profile · Compare other colleges
Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions
On acceptance rate, who leads between California State University-San Marcos and University of California-Santa Barbara?▼
University of California-Santa Barbara leads on acceptance rate at 33.0% versus 95.1% at California State University-San Marcos. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On out-of-state tuition, who leads between California State University-San Marcos and University of California-Santa Barbara?▼
California State University-San Marcos leads on out-of-state tuition at $20,682 versus $50,614 at University of California-Santa Barbara. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between California State University-San Marcos and University of California-Santa Barbara?▼
California State University-San Marcos leads on in-state tuition at $8,082 versus $16,414 at University of California-Santa Barbara. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025