Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UC Riverside California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSB San Diego State UC Davis San Jose State Cal Poly UC Merced UCI San Francisco State UCSD SCU| University of California Santa Cruz | California State University Fullerton | California State University Long Beach | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
||
| Remove | Remove | Remove | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Fullerton, CA | Long Beach, CA | |
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | Large City | |
| Enrollment | 19,478 | 40,386 | 38,973 | |
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #222 | #699 | #507 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | ucsc.edu | fullerton.edu | csulb.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $5,742 | $5,742 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $17,622 | $17,622 | |
| Room & Board | $18,185 | $16,702 | $14,932 | |
| Avg Net Price | $17,975 | $7,925 | $9,346 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,202 | $9,194 | $9,478 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 74% | 75% |
Admission |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | Calculate | |
| Applied | 65,912 | 48,748 | 74,718 | |
| Admitted | 30,926 | 32,527 | 29,851 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 46.9% | 66.7% | 40% | |
| Enrolled % | 12.5% | 16.2% | 18% | |
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.77 | 3.7 | |
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | A- | |
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very Easy | Average | |
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | Low | |
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 18/23 | 20/26 | |
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1000/1180 | 1020/1240 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | 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 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 24:1 | 22:1 | |
| Popular Majors |
|
|
|
|
Outcomes |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 50% | 54% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $49,000 | $51,100 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 69% | 69% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $15,000 | $15,000 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $155 | $155 |
Diversity |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 42% | 41% | |
| % Women | 50% | 58% | 59% | |
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 33% | 22% | 19% | |
| % Black | 2% | 2% | 4% | |
| % Hispanic | 31% | 40% | 39% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | 5% | |
| % International | 4% | 6% | 6% | |
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Students |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 99% | 97% | |
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 1% | 2% | |
Campus |
UCSC | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Long Beach | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | No | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Learn More | Details | 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)
UCSC vs. Cal State Fullerton Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Cal State Fullerton?
- 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)
UCSC vs. Cal State Fullerton Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Cal State Fullerton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State Fullerton or UCSC .
- 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%)
UCSC vs. Cal State Fullerton Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or Cal State Fullerton? 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 Cal State Fullerton and UCSC.
- 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/