ROTC at California State University San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · public
Yes, through cross-town: California State University San Marcos students join Army and Air Force ROTC at San Diego State University and Navy ROTC at University of San Diego.
Cross-town & partner options
California State University San Marcos students can also join these branches. They travel to the partner school for training.
Army ROTCCross-town · 25.1 miCross-enroll students take Military Science courses at San Diego State University.
Navy/Marine ROTCCross-town · 24.9 mi
Air Force/Space Force ROTCCross-town · 25.1 miROTC outcomes
Students at California State University San Marcos in ROTC, from any branch and any unit. Averages per academic year, AY2011–AY2021.
- About 5.2 officers commissioned per year, all services
- About 13 students start ROTC here each year
Students starting ROTC, by group
- Men74%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Source: GAO, GAO-23-105857 (campus data, AY2011–AY2021). GAO counted cadets and commissions by the school the student attended. Numbers for recent years can differ.
Admissions
| Admission rate | 95% |
|---|---|
| SAT range (25th–75th) | 1,100–1,330 |
| ACT range (25th–75th) | 23–30 |
| Test policy | Considered if submitted |
These are the most recent College Scorecard figures. The school decides admission. An ROTC scholarship board judges your academics on its own, in a separate process.
Cost & financial aid (with ROTC)
| In-state tuition | $8,082 |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state tuition | $20,682 |
| Average net price | $10,229 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55% |
Tuition and net price: College Scorecard. You can usually combine an ROTC scholarship with other aid from California State University San Marcos. Ask the unit and the financial aid office to confirm how the aid combines.
Academic programs
California State University San Marcos has 14,877 undergraduates. ROTC cadets can study almost any major. Some scholarships and commissioning options prefer certain fields.
Yellow Ribbon & veteran support
Yellow Ribbon is a GI Bill benefit for veterans and eligible dependents, not an ROTC scholarship. The school pays part of the tuition above the GI Bill cap, and VA matches it.
Yellow Ribbon: VA lists no Yellow Ribbon agreement for California State University San Marcos.
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm amounts with the school's veterans office before you enroll.
ROTC at California State University San Marcos: FAQ
Does California State University San Marcos have ROTC?
Yes, through cross-town: California State University San Marcos students join Army and Air Force ROTC at San Diego State University and Navy ROTC at University of San Diego.
Which ROTC branches can California State University San Marcos students join?
Army ROTC (cross-town at San Diego State University, 25 mi), Navy ROTC (cross-town at University of San Diego, 25 mi) and Air Force ROTC (cross-town at San Diego State University, 25 mi).
Is ROTC at California State University San Marcos on campus or cross-town?
Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC are cross-town: cadets enroll at California State University San Marcos and train with the unit at San Diego State University and University of San Diego.
School links and location
These links belong to California State University San Marcos. To ask about an ROTC program, open that program above and use the unit's own contact details. ROTCScholar is not the school and not the unit.
- Official site
csusm.edu
- Admissions
csusm.edu
- Apply
calstate.edu
- Financial aid
csusm.edu
- Net price calculator
Estimate your cost before ROTC money is applied
- Veteran & military services
Campus office for GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon, and military students
Location: San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
IPEDS UNITID: 366711
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ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We are not an ROTC unit, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military. Check details with the unit before you act on them.