California State University San Marcos

What California State University San Marcos does

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is a public university founded in 1989 and located in North San Diego County, California. It is the 20th campus of the California State University system and currently enrolls students across 43 bachelor's degree programs, 38 minors, 23 master's programs, 11 credential programs, and one joint doctoral program with UC San Diego. The institution's primary student base comprises traditional undergraduates and graduate students, with additional segments including military/veteran students (500+, highest per capita in the CSU system), international students, working professionals, and community college transfer students. CSUSM operates three physical locations — the main San Marcos campus, CSUSM at Temecula, and CSUSM at Chula Vista — extending its reach across Southern California.

The university's core technology platform consists of myCSUSM (a PeopleSoft-based student portal for records, enrollment, grades, and financial aid), Cougar Courses (Canvas LMS with Blackboard Ally accessibility integration), Microsoft 365, Zoom, and DUO two-factor authentication. Specialized centers include the Epstein Family Veterans Center, the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute of Palliative Care at CSUSM, the Extended Learning division (professional certificates, Osher 50+ lifelong learning, Open University), and CSUSM Aspiring Scholars. CSUSM is recognized as ranked #1 for social mobility of graduates and competes in NCAA Division II within the CCAA conference.

Revenue mechanics are those of a public university: recurring tuition and fees (in-state vs out-of-state differentiated), Extended Learning program revenue, donations and planned giving through University Advancement, and state appropriations flowing through the CSU system. Financial aid is provided via Title IV programs (School Code 030113). The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer recruitment through the Recruitment & Outreach office, event-driven enrollment (Discover CSUSM days, transfer workshops), K-12 pipeline programs (The Alliance, TRIO), community college articulation agreements with seven named partners, and a growing Extended Learning channel targeting adult and professional learners. As a public entity, CSUSM is not investor-backed and is governed by the CSU Board of Trustees.

Name

California State University San Marcos

Legal name

California State University San Marcos

Website

https://csusm.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

California State University San Marcos is a public university in the CSU system, serving North San Diego County with 43 bachelor's, 23 master's, and a joint doctoral program with UC San Diego, across main, Temecula, and Chula Vista campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate studies
• Continuing education
• Veteran student services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Marcos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition, enrollment fees, and campus-based fees. CSUSM is part of the California State University system.
2. Extended Learning Programs: Revenue from Extended Learning division including professional certificate programs, online programs, Osher 50+ lifelong learning, and Open University course enrollment.
3. Donations and Giving: University Advancement programs including planned giving, annual giving campaigns, and donor-funded initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

California State University San Marcos is a public university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across multiple colleges, delivered on the main San Marcos campus and at regional sites in Temecula and Chula Vista. Core academic offerings include 43 bachelor's degree programs, 38 minors, 23 master's programs, 11 credential programs, and a joint doctoral program with UC San Diego, supported by Extended Learning certificates and Osher 50+ lifelong learning. Supporting student-facing services include financial aid, veterans services, academic advising, TRIO pre-college programs, and The Alliance K-12 partnerships.

Product overview

California State University San Marcos is a public university offering a comprehensive educational platform through multiple integrated products and services. The core student experience is delivered through myCSUSM (PeopleSoft-based portal) and Cougar Courses (Canvas LMS). Extended Learning provides continuing education and professional development programs, while Graduate Studies manages 23 master's programs and doctoral offerings. Supporting services include Financial Aid, TRIO pre-college programs, The Alliance K-12 partnerships, campus tours, and a mobile app. The university operates as a traditional academic institution rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs
• Graduate Studies
• Extended Learning
• CSUSM at Temecula
• CSUSM at Chula Vista
• Epstein Family Veterans Center
• Financial Aid Services
• TRIO Pre-College Programs
• The Alliance K-12 Partnership
• CSU Shiley Haynes Institute of Palliative Care at CSUSM

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 for social mobility of graduates

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SoCal Quantum Alliance (SQA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Led by UCLA, the SoCal Quantum Alliance is a coalition of universities, government agencies, and technology companies in Southern California aimed at accelerating quantum research, workforce development, and economic growth. CSUSM participates as a member university alongside USC, Caltech, JPL, IBM, and others.
• UC San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint doctoral program partnership allowing CSUSM students to pursue doctoral degrees through collaboration with UC San Diego.
• Regional Community CollegescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with community colleges including Chaffey College, Imperial Valley College, MiraCosta College, Moreno Valley College, MSJC, Palomar College, and Southwestern College for seamless transfer pathways and Associate Degree for Transfer programs.
• The Alliance (K-12 Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-12 partnership program with local school districts providing guaranteed admission agreements and college readiness presentations through Alliance counselor and teacher programs.
• TRIO ProgramsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal TRIO Programs including Talent Search, Upward Bound, and 24/7 Online Tutoring serving disadvantaged K-12 students preparing for college.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cal State University Long Beach: CSU peer with comparable enrollment scale, similar mix of bachelor's and master's programs, and equivalent governance constraints under the CSU system. Operates in an adjacent Southern California market.
• San Diego State University: Sister CSU campus also located in San Diego County, offering comparable undergraduate and graduate programs to overlapping student demographics in the same regional market. The most direct enrollment competitor to CSUSM.
• Cal State University Fresno: Mid-sized CSU campus with similar program mix and social mobility credentials, useful as a comparable for budget scale, enrollment dynamics, and state appropriation sensitivity.
• Cal State Polytechnic University Pomona: CSU peer with comparable enrollment scale, applied undergraduate focus, and similar graduate program mix. Competes for similar transfer and first-generation student populations in Southern California.
• Cal State University Northridge: CSU peer in the Los Angeles region serving a similarly diverse, first-generation-heavy student population with comparable bachelor's and master's offerings. Operates under identical CSU funding and governance constraints.
• Cal State University Fullerton: Large CSU campus in Orange County with similar undergraduate-focused portfolio, comparable social mobility positioning, and similar reliance on tuition and California state appropriations.

Broad incumbents

• UC Riverside: UC campus with comparable social mobility positioning and Inland Empire reach. Competes for the same first-generation and transfer student populations, particularly in markets served by CSUSM's Temecula campus.
• University of California San Diego: Premier UC campus located adjacent to CSUSM in San Diego County, offering a research-tier alternative to the same regional applicant pool. Partners with CSUSM via the joint doctoral program but competes for top students and faculty.

Regional players

• Point Loma Nazarene University: Private regional university in San Diego offering undergraduate programs in similar disciplines to CSUSM, with overlapping target demographics among North San Diego County students.
• University of San Diego: Private Catholic university in the same San Diego market serving similar undergraduate populations but with a different tuition model and faith-based positioning. Useful private-market comparable for tuition pricing analysis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSUSM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/csusm
• Facebookfacebook.com/csusm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csusm
• Instagraminstagram.com/csusm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California State University San Marcos