California State University, San Marcos

San Marcos, CA

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California State University, San Marcos - San Marcos, CA

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Where the mountains meet the ocean, you'll find Cougars

Beautiful Campus Mountains Ocean Modern Suburban Public

Perched on a hill with fantastic mountain views and featuring sleek, modern architecture, California State University, San Marcos is picture-perfect. It is also one of the younger members of the California State Universities, founded in 1989. CSU San Marcos is located on 340 acres in San Marcos, a popular city in San Diego County. This smaller campus, covering 340 acres, offers a more intimate college experience than some of California's larger universities. San Marcos is roughly 32 miles north of Downtown San Diego, minutes from the mountains and the beaches along the Pacific Coast. CSU San Marcos offers 62 bachelor's degree programs and 15 master's degree programs in its four colleges.

CSU San Marcos is near the intersection of South Twin Oaks Valley Road and East Barham Drive, roughly two blocks from the downtown shopping district. To be close to both Downtown San Marcos and the CSU San Marcos campus, look for apartments along West San Marcos Boulevard. If you prefer a quiet, residential community, Village O is located directly south of the university and provides fantastic mountain views.

Explore the College

The Kellogg Library is five stories and opened in 2004

Campus Marketplace is located across from campus and provides shops and restaurants

Rent Trends

As of December 2024, the average apartment rent in San Marcos, CA is $2,426 for a studio, $2,300 for one bedroom, $2,674 for two bedrooms, and $3,607 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in San Marcos has increased by 0.9% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 572 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,426/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 702 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,300/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 971 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,674/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,208 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $3,607/month

    Average Rent

Transportation

55

Somewhat Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.

1

Minimal Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

44

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Discovery Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

668 Students

9
out of 10

Double Peak K-8

Public

Grades K-8

1,211 Students

7
out of 10

San Elijo Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

858 Students

7
out of 10

Richland Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

823 Students

7
out of 10

Knob Hill Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

752 Students

7
out of 10

San Elijo Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

1,463 Students

7
out of 10

Double Peak K-8

Public

Grades K-8

1,211 Students

7
out of 10

Woodland Park Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

1,183 Students

6
out of 10

San Marcos Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

931 Students

5
out of 10

La Mirada Academy

Public

Grades K-8

936 Students

4
out of 10

San Marcos High

Public

Grades 9-12

3,380 Students

7
out of 10

Mission Hills High

Public

Grades 9-12

2,893 Students

7
out of 10

North Coastal Consortium Schools

Public

Grades K-12

59 Students

Rating Unavailable

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Palomar College Arboretum
  • Del Dios Preserve
  • Felicita County Park
  • Kit Carson Park
  • Queen Califia's Magical Circle

Airports

  • San Diego International

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