Cal State Fullerton vs. Stanford

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

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Location Fullerton, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 40,386 18,283
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $57,693
Room & Board $16,702 $18,619
Avg Net Price $7,925 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 53%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 56,378
Admitted 32,527 2,075
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 3.7%
Enrolled % 16.2% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 18/23 33/35
SAT Range 1000/1180 1500/1580
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 2, 2024

Academics

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Graduation Rate 50% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $155 $128

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 37%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 40% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 10%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
% In-State 99% 35%
% Out-of-State 1% 48%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton Stanford
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Stanford based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 18,283 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

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

  • Stanford University is 904.8% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.4% higher at Stanford than California State University Fullerton ($57,693.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Stanford ($7,925 vs. $18,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 11.5% lower than costs at Stanford University ($16,702 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than Stanford University (74% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 559.3% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($60,619 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 455 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than Stanford (3.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than California State University Fullerton (96% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $73,900 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $49,000)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $2,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($12,475 vs. $15,000)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($128 vs. $155)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 69%)

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