Cal State Fullerton vs. USD

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

Cal State Fullerton USD
Location Fullerton, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 8,815
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #699
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton USD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $53,810
Room & Board $16,702 $17,010
Avg Net Price $7,925 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 83%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 14,334
Admitted 32,527 7,541
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 52.6%
Enrolled % 16.2% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/23
SAT Range 1000/1180
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 Dec 15, 2023

Academics

Cal State Fullerton USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton USD
Graduation Rate 50% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $155 $236

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton USD
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 53%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 40% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Cal State Fullerton USD
% In-State 99% 55%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton USD
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 USD based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 8,815 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Cost Comparison

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

  • University of San Diego is 837.1% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.4% higher at USD than California State University Fullerton ($53,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than USD ($7,925 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 1.8% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($16,702 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California State University Fullerton (83% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 296% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($36,408 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 212 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming USD students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than USD (52.6%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than California State University Fullerton (75% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $21,200 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $7,904 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,904)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($155 vs. $236)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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