California State University-San Marcos

What are the graduation rates for students at California State University-San Marcos?

IPEDS completion figures report a four-year graduation rate of 28% and a six-year rate of 55% for CSUSM. The measures track a defined cohort of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates at the institution where they began; they do not describe the completion rate of all students or of transfers.

The difference between the two rates shows why the time horizon matters: some students counted as noncompleters at four years graduate by year six. The reported first-year retention rate is 79%, measuring the share of a defined entering cohort that returned the following fall. Neither graduation nor retention rates, on their own, explain why students stay, leave or take longer to finish.

Transfer applicants should seek transfer-specific outcomes for their intended major when available. Accepted units, prerequisite sequences and the frequency with which required courses are offered may matter more to their likely time to degree than the first-time-student graduation rate.

What is the earning potential for graduates at California State University-San Marcos?

College Scorecard field-of-study figures provide an early-career earnings snapshot for some CSUSM programs, not a prediction of what every graduate will make. The one-year figures represent median earnings for the relevant federally aided completers with earnings records in the Scorecard's measured population.

For example, the reported one-year median is $90,827 for registered nursing, $58,962 for computer science and $45,186 for business administration. These are program-level figures, not a university-wide starting salary. A field's figure may combine people entering different jobs or locations and may reflect further study, part-time work and differences in who appears in federal records.

One year is also a short window for comparing careers. Licensure, postgraduate education, local wages and later experience can change the picture substantially. Students should read the earnings measure alongside program costs, completion requirements, debt and the work they hope to pursue.