Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSC

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

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
Location Fullerton, CA Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 40,386 19,478
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,702 $18,185
Avg Net Price $7,925 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 68%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 65,912
Admitted 32,527 30,926
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 46.9%
Enrolled % 16.2% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/23 25/33
SAT Range 1000/1180 1160/1360
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 UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
Graduation Rate 50% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $155 $206

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
% Men 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 33%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 40% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
% In-State 99% 90%
% Out-of-State 1% 7%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton UCSC
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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 19,478 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

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

  • University of California Santa Cruz 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 UCSC 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 UCSC ($7,925 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 8.9% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($16,702 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than University of California Santa Cruz (74% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 130.6% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($21,202 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 177 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than UCSC (46.9%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than California State University Fullerton (73% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $1,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $4,959 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,959)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($155 vs. $206)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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