CSU vs. California State University-Fresno

Should I go to California State University Chico or California State University Fresno? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or California State University-Fresno 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 Chico vs. California State University Fresno comparison
California State University Chico California State University Fresno College 3 College 4
California State University Chico California State University Fresno
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Overview

 CSU California State University-Fresno
Location Chico, CA Fresno, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 23,999
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #891
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu csufresno.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU California State University-Fresno
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $11,080
Avg Net Price $15,517 $7,507
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,968
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 85%

Admission

 CSU California State University-Fresno
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 18,551
Admitted 20,347 17,703
Acceptance Rate 95% 95.4%
Enrolled % 9.9% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/21
SAT Range 970/1170 890/1100
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

 CSU California State University-Fresno
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 CSU California State University-Fresno
Graduation Rate 59% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $155

Diversity

 CSU California State University-Fresno
% Men 45% 40%
% Women 55% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 21%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

 CSU California State University-Fresno
% In-State 97% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

 CSU California State University-Fresno
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 Fresno is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (23,999 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. California State University-Fresno Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or California State University-Fresno?

  • California State University Chico and California State University-Fresno cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU as California State University Fresno ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fresno than CSU ($7,507 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 37.3% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($11,080 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fresno than California State University Chico (85% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fresno students is 8.8% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($9,968 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. California State University-Fresno Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or California State University-Fresno? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-Fresno or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Chico (1003) is 106 points higher than at California State University-Fresno (897)
  • Incoming CSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at California State University-Fresno (19)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12)
  • California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than CSU (95%)

CSU vs. California State University-Fresno Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or California State University-Fresno? 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 California State University-Fresno and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than California State University Fresno (59% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $5,900 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $46,500)
  • California State University Fresno students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $17,000)
  • California State University-Fresno graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($155 vs. $175)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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