Cal State Fullerton vs. Sacramento State

Should I go to California State University Fullerton or California State University Sacramento? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Fullerton or Sacramento State 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 Sacramento comparison
California State University Fullerton California State University Sacramento College 3 College 4
California State University Fullerton California State University Sacramento
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Overview

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
Location Fullerton, CA Sacramento, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 31,818
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #850
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu csus.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,702 $16,278
Avg Net Price $7,925 $11,596
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $9,590
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 78%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 25,276
Admitted 32,527 23,559
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 93.2%
Enrolled % 16.2% 16.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 17/23
SAT Range 1000/1180 930/1130
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 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

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

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
Graduation Rate 50% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $15,750
Median Loan Payment $155 $162

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 29%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 40% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
% In-State 99% 98%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State
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 Sacramento State based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 31,818 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Sacramento State Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Fullerton and Sacramento State 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 Sacramento ($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 Fullerton than Sacramento State ($7,925 vs. $11,596)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 2.6% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($16,278 vs. $16,702)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Sacramento than California State University Fullerton (78% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 4.3% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($9,590 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Sacramento State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 76 points higher than at Sacramento State (948)
  • Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Sacramento State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Sacramento State (3.42)
  • Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Sacramento State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Sacramento State? 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 Sacramento State and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than California State University Sacramento (50% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from California State University Sacramento earn on average $2,000 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Sacramento State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $15,750)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Sacramento State graduates. ($155 vs. $162)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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