California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State East Bay

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Fresno is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 12,326 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 32.9% lower than at California State University East Bay ($11,960 vs. $17,831).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.2% higher at Cal State East Bay than at California State University Fresno (about $233 more per year; $20,183 vs. $19,950).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at California State University East Bay (85% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 0.3% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($12,369 vs. $12,326).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both California State University-Fresno and Cal State East Bay.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at Cal State East Bay average a 3.2 high school GPA, 0.08 higher than at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 6.9% at Cal State East Bay.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $1,332 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($15,000 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($155 vs. $168).
• More California State University-Fresno graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation (63% vs. 61%).

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