Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSB

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

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
Location Fullerton, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 40,386 26,420
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #109
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ucsb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,702 $16,883
Avg Net Price $7,925 $16,874
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $20,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 53%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 110,995
Admitted 32,527 28,688
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 25.8%
Enrolled % 16.2% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 18/23 28/34
SAT Range 1000/1180 1230/1460
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 UCSB
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
Graduation Rate 50% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $16,451
Median Loan Payment $155 $170

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 35%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 40% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
% In-State 99% 78%
% Out-of-State 1% 10%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton UCSB
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 UCSB based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 26,420 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSB Cost Comparison

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

  • University of California Santa Barbara 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 UCSB 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 UCSB ($7,925 vs. $16,874)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 1.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Barbara ($16,702 vs. $16,883)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than University of California Santa Barbara (74% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Barbara students is 121.8% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($20,389 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 224 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming UCSB students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman UCSB 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 UCSB (25.8%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than California State University Fullerton (80% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Barbara earn on average $10,000 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $1,451 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSB graduates. ($15,000 vs. $16,451)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than UCSB graduates. ($155 vs. $170)
  • More UCSB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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