Side-by-side
Austin Community College vs California State University-San Marcos
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Similar selectivity (100% vs 95%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $21k.
| Austin Community College | California State University-San Marcos | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 100% | 95% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $2,970 | $8,082 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $10,830 | $20,682 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $2,550 | $8,082 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $10,590 | $20,682 |
| Graduation rate | 20% | 54% |
| Total enrollment | 41,000 | 14,877 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/austin-community-college-vs-california-state-university-san-marcos.