Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA

Should I go to California State University Fullerton or California State University Los Angeles? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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California State University Fullerton vs. California State University Los Angeles comparison
California State University Fullerton California State University Los Angeles College 3 College 4
California State University Fullerton California State University Los Angeles
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Overview

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Location Fullerton, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 26,460
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu calstatela.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,702 $17,998
Avg Net Price $7,925 $5,801
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $10,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 91%

Admission

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 33,939
Admitted 32,527 29,507
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 86.9%
Enrolled % 16.2% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.31
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 15/20
SAT Range 1000/1180 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 19, 2024

Academics

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Graduation Rate 50% 36%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $46,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $12,920
Median Loan Payment $155 $133

Diversity

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 22% 7%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 40% 63%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

 Cal State Fullerton Cal State LA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Fullerton is larger than than Cal State LA based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 26,460 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA?

  • California State University Fullerton and Cal State LA cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Cal State Fullerton as California State University Los Angeles ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than Cal State Fullerton ($5,801 vs. $7,925)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 7.8% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($16,702 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than California State University Fullerton (91% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 18.6% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($10,907 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State LA or Cal State Fullerton .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 150 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (86.9%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cal State LA and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than California State University Los Angeles (50% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn on average $2,100 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $2,080 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($12,920 vs. $15,000)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($133 vs. $155)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/