Cal State Fullerton vs. San Diego State

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

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
Location Fullerton, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 37,402
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,702 $19,714
Avg Net Price $7,925 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 43%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 77,250
Admitted 32,527 30,331
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 39.3%
Enrolled % 16.2% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 18/23 22/29
SAT Range 1000/1180 1090/1300
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 San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
Graduation Rate 50% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $155 $158

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 34%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 40% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Cal State Fullerton San Diego State
% In-State 99% 77%
% Out-of-State 1% 21%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton San Diego 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 San Diego State based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 37,402 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or San Diego State?

  • California State University Fullerton and San Diego 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 San Diego State University ($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 San Diego State ($7,925 vs. $13,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 18% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,702 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than San Diego State University (74% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 8% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($9,934 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 106 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or San Diego 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 San Diego State and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than California State University Fullerton (66% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $4,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $349 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $15,349)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($155 vs. $158)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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