Cal State Fullerton vs. SCU

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

Cal State Fullerton SCU
Location Fullerton, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 40,386 9,178
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #62
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton SCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $56,880
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $56,880
Room & Board $16,702 $17,112
Avg Net Price $7,925 $50,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $25,295
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 72%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 16,650
Admitted 32,527 8,677
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 52.1%
Enrolled % 16.2% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/23 29/33
SAT Range 1000/1180 1290/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 7, 2024

Academics

Cal State Fullerton SCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton SCU
Graduation Rate 50% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $155 $222

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton SCU
% Men 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 49%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 40% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Cal State Fullerton SCU
% In-State 99% 50%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton SCU
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 SCU based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 9,178 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. SCU Cost Comparison

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

  • Santa Clara University is 890.6% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 222.8% higher at SCU than California State University Fullerton ($56,880.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than SCU ($7,925 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 2.5% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($16,702 vs. $17,112)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than Santa Clara University (74% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 175.1% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($25,295 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 289 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than SCU (52.1%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than California State University Fullerton (85% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $32,900 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($155 vs. $222)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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