Cal State East Bay vs. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Comparable Facts

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

California State University East Bay is larger than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 6,237 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); California State Polytechnic University Humboldt is in Arcata, CA (Remote Town setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State Polytechnic University Humboldt is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; California State Polytechnic University Humboldt 16:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt? 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt ($9,850 vs. $14,090).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt are 20.8% lower than at California State University East Bay ($14,118 vs. $17,831).
• California State Polytechnic University Humboldt is 8.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $667 more per year; $8,250.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.3% higher at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt than at California State University East Bay (about $667 more per year; $20,850.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University East Bay than at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt (79% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 15.1% larger than aid received by California State Polytechnic University Humboldt students ($12,369 vs. $10,748).

Cal State East Bay vs. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt? 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 Polytechnic University-Humboldt and Cal State East Bay.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State Polytechnic University Humboldt 970/1190.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State Polytechnic University Humboldt 17/25.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Apr 30, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than Cal State East Bay (97.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 5.9% at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt.

Cal State East Bay vs. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt? 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 East Bay's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than California State Polytechnic University Humboldt's (40%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $16,300 more per year than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $3,168 lower median loan debt than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates ($16,332 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates ($168 vs. $201).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 56%)

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.