Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State vs. Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA

California State University East Bay, California State University Sacramento, California State University Fullerton, and California State University Los Angeles side by side on admissions, cost, and outcomes, from public data.

California State University East Bay

California State University Sacramento

California State University Fullerton

California State University Los Angeles

At a glance

Lowest net price: Cal State LA ($4,460 a year). Next is Cal State Fullerton at $7,064, about $2,604 more.
Hardest to get into: Cal State Fullerton (90.5% admitted, typical SAT 1090). Cal State LA is close behind (91.3%, SAT 970); Sacramento State 94.0%, Cal State East Bay 97.4%.
Highest graduation rate: Cal State Fullerton (50%). Then Cal State East Bay 43%, Sacramento State 42%, Cal State LA 36%.
Highest median earnings: Cal State East Bay ($55,300 ten years after starting college). Then Sacramento State $51,000, Cal State Fullerton $49,000, Cal State LA $46,900.

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Key differences

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Measure	Cal State East Bay	Sacramento State	Cal State Fullerton	Cal State LA
Acceptance rateCal State Fullerton most selective	97.4%	94%	90.5%	91.3%
SAT range (middle 50%)Cal State Fullerton highest	-	930-1130	1000-1180	870-1060
Average net priceCal State LA lowest	$9,850	$10,110	$7,064	$4,460
In-state tuitionCal State LA lowest	$7,583	$8,018	$7,470	$7,160
Out-of-state tuitionCal State LA lowest	$20,183	$20,618	$20,070	$19,760
Graduation rateCal State Fullerton highest	43%	42%	50%	36%
Median earnings (10 years)Cal State East Bay highest	$55,300	$51,000	$49,000	$46,900

Sources: IPEDS and College Scorecard.

Admission calculator

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Admission chances
Cal State East Bay My Chances
Sacramento State My Chances
Cal State Fullerton My Chances
Cal State LA My Chances

Applied
Cal State East Bay 11,867
Sacramento State 27,702
Cal State Fullerton 53,559
Cal State LA 32,723

Admitted
Cal State East Bay 11,557
Sacramento State 26,036
Cal State Fullerton 48,482
Cal State LA 29,860

Acceptance rate
Cal State East Bay 97.4%
Sacramento State 94%
Cal State Fullerton 90.5%
Cal State LA 91.3%

Yield (share of admitted who enroll)
Cal State East Bay 6.9%
Sacramento State 15.3%
Cal State Fullerton 14.2%
Cal State LA 9.4%

Typical SAT score
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State 1030
Cal State Fullerton 1090
Cal State LA 970

Typical ACT score
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State 20
Cal State Fullerton 20
Cal State LA 17

Average high school GPA
Cal State East Bay 3.2
Sacramento State 3.42
Cal State Fullerton 3.77
Cal State LA 3.31

Typical high school grades
Cal State East Bay B+
Sacramento State B+
Cal State Fullerton A-
Cal State LA B+

Admissions standards
Cal State East Bay Unavailable
Sacramento State Extremely Easy
Cal State Fullerton Very Easy
Cal State LA Extremely Easy

Applicant competition
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State
Cal State Fullerton
Cal State LA

SAT range
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State 930-1130
Cal State Fullerton 1000-1180
Cal State LA 870-1060

ACT range
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State 17-23
Cal State Fullerton 18-23
Cal State LA 15-20

Submit test scores
Cal State East Bay Test-free
Sacramento State Test-free
Cal State Fullerton Test-free
Cal State LA Test-free

Application deadline
Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026
Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026
Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026
Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027

Tuition (in state)
Cal State East Bay $7,583
Sacramento State $8,018
Cal State Fullerton $7,470
Cal State LA $7,160

Tuition (out of state)
Cal State East Bay $20,183
Sacramento State $20,618
Cal State Fullerton $20,070
Cal State LA $19,760

Room & board
Cal State East Bay $17,831
Sacramento State $19,174
Cal State Fullerton $19,080
Cal State LA $19,696

Average net price
Cal State East Bay $9,850
Sacramento State $10,110
Cal State Fullerton $7,064
Cal State LA $4,460

Average grant aid
Cal State East Bay $12,369
Sacramento State $12,767
Cal State Fullerton $11,234
Cal State LA $13,824

% receiving grant aid
Cal State East Bay 79%
Sacramento State 82%
Cal State Fullerton 78%
Cal State LA 94%

Graduation rate
Cal State East Bay 43%
Sacramento State 42%
Cal State Fullerton 50%
Cal State LA 36%

Median earnings (after 10 years)
Cal State East Bay $55,300
Sacramento State $51,000
Cal State Fullerton $49,000
Cal State LA $46,900

Making student loan payments
Cal State East Bay 61%
Sacramento State 64%
Cal State Fullerton 69%
Cal State LA 57%

Median student loan debt
Cal State East Bay $16,332
Sacramento State $15,750
Cal State Fullerton $15,000
Cal State LA $12,920

Median loan payment
Cal State East Bay $168
Sacramento State $162
Cal State Fullerton $155
Cal State LA $133

Student to faculty ratio
Cal State East Bay 22:1
Sacramento State 24:1
Cal State Fullerton 26:1
Cal State LA 21:1

Popular majors
Cal State East Bay
- Business (30%)
- Health Professions (13%)
- Social Sciences (10%)
- Work and Family Studies (6%)
- Psychology (5%)
Sacramento State
- Business (24%)
- Social Sciences (9%)
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
- Communication (7%)
- Health Professions (7%)
Cal State Fullerton
- Business (25%)
- Communication (14%)
- Social Sciences (8%)
- Health Professions (7%)
- Psychology (6%)
Cal State LA
- Business (22%)
- Health Professions (9%)
- Social Sciences (9%)
- Psychology (7%)
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

School
Cal State East Bay California State University East Bay
Sacramento State California State University Sacramento
Cal State Fullerton California State University Fullerton
Cal State LA California State University Los Angeles

Location
Cal State East Bay Hayward, CA
Sacramento State Sacramento, CA
Cal State Fullerton Fullerton, CA
Cal State LA Los Angeles, CA

Setting
Cal State East Bay Midsize City
Sacramento State Large City
Cal State Fullerton Midsize City
Cal State LA Large City

Total enrollment
Cal State East Bay 12,326
Sacramento State 31,943
Cal State Fullerton 43,662
Cal State LA 23,163

Type
Cal State East Bay Public 4 Year
Sacramento State Public 4 Year
Cal State Fullerton Public 4 Year
Cal State LA Public 4 Year

National ranking
Cal State East Bay
Sacramento State #841
Cal State Fullerton #799
Cal State LA #934

Diversity 13 rows

% Men
Cal State East Bay 41%
Sacramento State 44%
Cal State Fullerton 43%
Cal State LA 43%

% Women
Cal State East Bay 59%
Sacramento State 56%
Cal State Fullerton 57%
Cal State LA 57%

Racial diversity
Cal State East Bay Very High
Sacramento State Very High
Cal State Fullerton Very High
Cal State LA Medium

HBCU
Cal State East Bay No
Sacramento State No
Cal State Fullerton No
Cal State LA No

% White
Cal State East Bay 16%
Sacramento State 29%
Cal State Fullerton 22%
Cal State LA 7%

% Asian
Cal State East Bay 24%
Sacramento State 21%
Cal State Fullerton 22%
Cal State LA 15%

% Black
Cal State East Bay 11%
Sacramento State 6%
Cal State Fullerton 2%
Cal State LA 4%

% Hispanic
Cal State East Bay 31%
Sacramento State 29%
Cal State Fullerton 40%
Cal State LA 63%

% Native American
Cal State East Bay 0%
Sacramento State 0%
Cal State Fullerton 0%
Cal State LA 0%

% Pacific Islander
Cal State East Bay 1%
Sacramento State 1%
Cal State Fullerton 0%
Cal State LA 0%

% Two or more races
Cal State East Bay 6%
Sacramento State 6%
Cal State Fullerton 4%
Cal State LA 2%

% International
Cal State East Bay 6%
Sacramento State 2%
Cal State Fullerton 6%
Cal State LA 6%

% Unknown race
Cal State East Bay 5%
Sacramento State 6%
Cal State Fullerton 4%
Cal State LA 3%

Students 2 rows

% In-state
Cal State East Bay 95%
Sacramento State 96%
Cal State Fullerton 99%
Cal State LA 99%

% Out-of-state
Cal State East Bay 1%
Sacramento State 2%
Cal State Fullerton 1%
Cal State LA 0%

Campus 6 rows

Campus housing
Cal State East Bay Yes
Sacramento State Yes
Cal State Fullerton Yes
Cal State LA Yes

Freshman dorm required
Cal State East Bay No
Sacramento State No
Cal State Fullerton No
Cal State LA No

Meal plan
Cal State East Bay Yes
Sacramento State Yes
Cal State Fullerton Yes
Cal State LA Yes

Weekend/evening classes
Cal State East Bay No
Sacramento State No
Cal State Fullerton No
Cal State LA No

Daycare facility
Cal State East Bay Yes
Sacramento State Yes
Cal State Fullerton Yes
Cal State LA Yes

Learn more
Cal State East Bay Details
Sacramento State Details
Cal State Fullerton Details
Cal State LA Details

Comparable Facts

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

By total student enrollment, California State University Fullerton is the largest of the four (43,662 students), followed by Sacramento State (31,943), Cal State LA (23,163), and Cal State East Bay (12,326).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

Settings: Hayward, CA (Midsize City); Sacramento, CA (Large City); Fullerton, CA (Midsize City); Los Angeles, CA (Large City).
All four are public, non-profit 4-year institutions.
Student-to-faculty ratio: Cal State East Bay 22:1; Sacramento State 24:1; Cal State Fullerton 26:1; Cal State LA 21:1.

Cost details

Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are lowest at Cal State East Bay ($17,831) and highest at Cal State LA ($19,696); Sacramento State $19,174, Cal State Fullerton $19,080.
The largest share of students receiving grant aid is at Cal State LA (94%), then Sacramento State (82%), Cal State East Bay (79%), and Cal State Fullerton (78%).
Average grant aid: Cal State LA $13,824; Sacramento State $12,767; Cal State East Bay $12,369; Cal State Fullerton $11,234.

Admissions details

Typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate): Sacramento State 20; Cal State Fullerton 20; Cal State LA 17.
SAT or ACT scores are test-free at Cal State East Bay, Sacramento State, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State LA.
Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026; Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027.
Average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen: Cal State Fullerton 3.77; Sacramento State 3.42; Cal State LA 3.31; Cal State East Bay 3.2.
The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield): Sacramento State 15.3%; Cal State Fullerton 14.2%; Cal State LA 9.4%; Cal State East Bay 6.9%.

Loans and repayment

Median federal loan debt among borrowers: Cal State LA $12,920; Cal State Fullerton $15,000; Sacramento State $15,750; Cal State East Bay $16,332.
Median monthly federal loan payment: Cal State LA $133; Cal State Fullerton $155; Sacramento State $162; Cal State East Bay $168.
Share of former students actively paying back federal loans three years after graduation: Cal State Fullerton 69%; Sacramento State 64%; Cal State East Bay 61%; Cal State LA 57%.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.

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