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San Francisco State San Diego State Cal State Long Beach San Jose State USD CSU SCU UC Merced California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino Sacramento State UCLA| California State University Fullerton | University of San Francisco | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | San Francisco, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,962 | 9,212 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #786 | #116 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | usfca.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $57,670 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $57,670 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,348 | $17,300 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,283 | $44,104 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,445 | $32,492 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 97% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 48,591 | 25,709 | ||
| Admitted | 42,149 | 13,052 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 50.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 8.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | 1210/1390 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $70,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $258 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 6% | 19% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 2% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 32% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | USF | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Fullerton is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (41,962 students vs. 9,212 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USF Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or USF?
- University of San Francisco is 904.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($57,670.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 227.3% higher at USF than California State University Fullerton ($57,670.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than USF ($6,283 vs. $44,104)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 6.1% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($17,300 vs. $18,348)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than California State University Fullerton (97% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 211.1% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($32,492 vs. $10,445)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or USF? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USF or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at University of San Francisco (1172) is 148 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming USF students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at USF (3.57)
- Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than USF (50.8%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or USF? 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 USF and Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at USF is higher than California State University Fullerton (70% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $21,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $49,000)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $10,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($15,000 vs. $25,000)
- Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($155 vs. $258)
- More USF 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/