Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Riverside

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

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
Location Fullerton, CA Riverside, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 26,809
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #272
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ucr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,702 $17,333
Avg Net Price $7,925 $14,487
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $22,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 75%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 54,683
Admitted 32,527 37,563
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 68.7%
Enrolled % 16.2% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.84
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/23 22/31
SAT Range 1000/1180 1080/1280
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 UC Riverside
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
Graduation Rate 50% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $52,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $19,109
Median Loan Payment $155 $197

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 13%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 40% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
% In-State 99% 94%
% Out-of-State 1% 2%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton UC Riverside
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 UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 26,809 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Riverside Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or UC Riverside?

  • University of California Riverside is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Riverside than California State University Fullerton ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than UC Riverside ($7,925 vs. $14,487)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 3.8% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($16,702 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than California State University Fullerton (75% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 139.7% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($22,042 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Riverside Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Riverside (1119) is 95 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • UC Riverside has a higher acceptance rate (68.7%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Riverside Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or UC Riverside? 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 UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than California State University Fullerton (67% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $3,200 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $4,109 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Riverside graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,109)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than UC Riverside graduates. ($155 vs. $197)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside 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/