CSU vs. Cal State Fullerton

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

CSU Cal State Fullerton
Location Chico, CA Fullerton, CA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 14,183 40,386
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #699
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu fullerton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU Cal State Fullerton
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $16,702
Avg Net Price $15,517 $7,925
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 74%

Admission

CSU Cal State Fullerton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 48,748
Admitted 20,347 32,527
Acceptance Rate 95% 66.7%
Enrolled % 9.9% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/23
SAT Range 970/1170 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 Dec 15, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

CSU Cal State Fullerton
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

CSU Cal State Fullerton
Graduation Rate 59% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $155

Diversity

CSU Cal State Fullerton
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 22%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 40%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

CSU Cal State Fullerton
% In-State 97% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

CSU Cal State Fullerton
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 CSU based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. Cal State Fullerton Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Chico and Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton ($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 Fullerton than CSU ($7,925 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 9.8% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($15,212 vs. $16,702)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than California State University Chico (74% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fullerton students is 0.3% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($9,194 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. Cal State Fullerton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU 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 CSU .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 21 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming CSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

CSU vs. Cal State Fullerton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than California State University Fullerton (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $3,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $17,000)
  • Cal State Fullerton 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 Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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