CSUDH vs. California State University-Fresno

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with California State University Fresno in Fresno, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fresno is larger than CSUDH based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 15,182 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); California State University Fresno is in Fresno, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Fresno is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; California State University Fresno 22:1.

CSUDH vs. California State University-Fresno Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH or California State University-Fresno? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fresno than CSUDH ($7,834 vs. $9,175).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 35.2% lower than at California State University Dominguez Hills ($11,960 vs. $18,444).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is 1.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $99 more per year; $7,449.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.5% higher at CSUDH than at California State University Fresno (about $99 more per year; $20,049.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at California State University Fresno (93% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students is 13.2% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($13,951 vs. $12,326).

CSUDH vs. California State University-Fresno Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH or California State University-Fresno? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-Fresno and CSUDH.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Fresno 890/1100.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Fresno 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; California State University-Fresno - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman CSUDH students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.16) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than CSUDH (93.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 17.5% at California State University-Fresno.

CSUDH vs. California State University-Fresno Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH and California State University-Fresno? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Fresno's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from California State University Dominguez Hills earn a median of about $300 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,800 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $1,038 lower median loan debt than California State University-Fresno graduates ($13,962 vs. $15,000).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-Fresno graduates ($144 vs. $155).
• More California State University-Fresno graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.