Cal State East Bay vs. Cal State Fullerton

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA with California State University Fullerton in Fullerton, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fullerton is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (43,662 students vs. 12,326 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Fullerton is in Fullerton, CA (Midsize City setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Fullerton is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; California State University Fullerton 26:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. Cal State Fullerton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or Cal State Fullerton? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Cal State East Bay ($7,064 vs. $9,850).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 6.5% lower than at California State University Fullerton ($17,831 vs. $19,080).
• California State University East Bay is 1.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State Fullerton (about $113 more per year; $7,583.00 vs. $7,470.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.6% higher at Cal State East Bay than at California State University Fullerton (about $113 more per year; $20,183.00 vs. $20,070.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University East Bay than at California State University Fullerton (79% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 10.1% larger than aid received by California State University Fullerton students ($12,369 vs. $11,234).

Cal State East Bay vs. Cal State Fullerton Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or Cal State Fullerton? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cal State Fullerton and Cal State East Bay.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Fullerton 1000/1180.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Fullerton 18/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; Cal State Fullerton - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Cal State Fullerton (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 14.2% at Cal State Fullerton.

Cal State East Bay vs. Cal State Fullerton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and Cal State Fullerton? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Fullerton's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $6,300 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $49,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fullerton graduates have a $1,332 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($15,000 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, Cal State Fullerton graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($155 vs. $168).
• More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.