Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Sacramento is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 12,326 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Sacramento is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; California State University Sacramento 24:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or Sacramento State? 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 Sacramento State ($9,850 vs. $10,110).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 7% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($17,831 vs. $19,174).
• California State University Sacramento is 5.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $435 more per year; $8,018.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.2% higher at Sacramento State than at California State University East Bay (about $435 more per year; $20,618.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Sacramento than at California State University East Bay (82% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 3.2% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($12,767 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or Sacramento State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Sacramento State and Cal State East Bay.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Sacramento 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Sacramento 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; Sacramento State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Sacramento State (94%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 15.3% at Sacramento State.

Cal State East Bay vs. Sacramento State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and Sacramento State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• California State University East Bay's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than California State University Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than Sacramento State graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $582 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($15,750 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($162 vs. $168).
• More Sacramento State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (64% 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.