PLNU vs. San Francisco State

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or San Francisco State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or San Francisco State 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. San Francisco State University comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University San Francisco State University College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University San Francisco State University
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Overview

PLNU San Francisco State
Location San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,319 25,282
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #292 #789
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $17,622
Room & Board $11,800 $17,955
Avg Net Price $34,933 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 72%

Admission

PLNU San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 29,932
Admitted 2,580 28,195
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 94.2%
Enrolled % 26.7% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 16/23
SAT Range 1170/1350 930/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

PLNU San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

PLNU San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 72% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $178

Diversity

PLNU San Francisco State
% Men 34% 43%
% Women 66% 57%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 21%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 23% 29%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

PLNU San Francisco State
% In-State 70% 96%
% Out-of-State 29% 1%

Campus

PLNU San Francisco State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Francisco State University is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (25,282 students vs. 4,319 students)

PLNU vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or San Francisco State?

  • Point Loma Nazarene University is 603.6% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.3% higher at PLNU than San Francisco State University ($40,400.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than PLNU ($13,267 vs. $34,933)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 52.2% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($11,800 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than San Francisco State University (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Point Loma Nazarene University students is 97.6% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($19,422 vs. $9,830)

PLNU vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 169 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
  • Incoming PLNU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Francisco State (21)
  • Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than PLNU (81.9%)

PLNU vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than San Francisco State University (72% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $900 more per year than San Francisco State graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $52,600)
  • San Francisco State University students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($17,250 vs. $25,000)
  • San Francisco State graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($178 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 63%)

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