Cal State East Bay vs. CMA

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA with California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University East Bay is larger than CMA based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 837 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Maritime Academy is in Vallejo, CA (Midsize City setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; California State University Maritime Academy 11:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. CMA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or CMA? 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 East Bay than CMA ($9,850 vs. $19,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Maritime Academy are 18.5% lower than at California State University East Bay ($14,536 vs. $17,831).
• California State University Maritime Academy is 31.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $2,361 more per year; $9,944.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.7% higher at CMA than at California State University East Bay (about $2,361 more per year; $22,544.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University East Bay than at California State University Maritime Academy (79% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 12.1% larger than aid received by California State University Maritime Academy students ($12,369 vs. $11,038).

Cal State East Bay vs. CMA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or CMA? 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 CMA and Cal State East Bay.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; CMA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; CMA Dec 15, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman CMA students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than CMA (95%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 20.7% at CMA.

Cal State East Bay vs. CMA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and CMA? 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 Maritime Academy's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University Maritime Academy earn a median of about $35,200 more per year than Cal State East Bay graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,500 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $9,194 lower median loan debt than CMA graduates ($16,332 vs. $25,526).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $95 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CMA graduates ($168 vs. $263).
• More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 61%)

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.