College comparison

California State University-San Marcos vs UC Riverside

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA	UC Riverside Riverside, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Riverside is more selective	95%	76%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	14,877	22,593
Avg net price	$10,229	$14,304
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public
Location	San Marcos, CA	Riverside, CA

Quick answers

Is California State University-San Marcos or University of California-Riverside harder to get into?

University of California-Riverside is more selective: California State University-San Marcos's acceptance rate is approximately 95% and University of California-Riverside's is approximately 76% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for California State University-San Marcos vs University of California-Riverside?

The middle-50% SAT range is — at California State University-San Marcos and — at University of California-Riverside. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.