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

Compare California State University East Bay, California State University Sacramento, California State University Fullerton, and California State University Los Angeles in one place. The table aligns tuition and aid, admissions, student body, campus context, graduation outcomes, and earnings so you can weigh fit as well as cost. Figures use the same comparable fields we publish for more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities.

California State University East Bay
California State University Sacramento
California State University Fullerton
California State University Los Angeles

  • Overview

  • 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
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cal State East Bay -
  • Sacramento State -
  • Cal State Fullerton -
  • Cal State LA -
  • Status
  • Cal State East Bay Non-profit
  • Sacramento State Non-profit
  • Cal State Fullerton Non-profit
  • Cal State LA Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cal State East Bay
  • Sacramento State
  • Cal State Fullerton
  • Cal State LA

  • Cost

  • 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%

  • Admissions

  • 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%
  • Enrolled
  • 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
  • ACT Range
  • Cal State East Bay
  • Sacramento State 17/23
  • Cal State Fullerton 18/23
  • Cal State LA 15/20
  • SAT Range
  • Cal State East Bay
  • Sacramento State 930/1130
  • Cal State Fullerton 1000/1180
  • Cal State LA 870/1060
  • 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

  • Academics

  • 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%)

  • Outcomes

  • 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

  • Diversity

  • % 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

  • % 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

  • 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

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Sacramento is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (31,943 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 Sacramento is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
  • California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; California State University Sacramento 24:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or Sacramento State? 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 East Bay than Sacramento State ($9,850 vs. $10,110).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 7% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($17,831 vs. $19,174).
  • California State University Sacramento is 5.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $435 more per year; $8,018.00 vs. $7,583.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.2% higher at Sacramento State than at California State University East Bay (about $435 more per year; $20,618.00 vs. $20,183.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Sacramento than at California State University East Bay (82% vs. 79%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 3.2% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($12,767 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or Sacramento State? 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 Sacramento State and Cal State East Bay.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Sacramento 930/1130.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Sacramento 17/23.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; Sacramento State - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026.
  • Enrolled freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
  • Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Sacramento State (94%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 15.3% at Sacramento State.

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and Sacramento State? 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 East Bay's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than California State University Sacramento's (42%).
  • Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than Sacramento State graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $582 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($15,750 vs. $16,332).
  • Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($162 vs. $168).
  • More Sacramento State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (64% 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.