Cal State East Bay vs. Laguna College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA with Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University East Bay is larger than Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 775 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); Laguna College of Art and Design is in Laguna Beach, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Laguna College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; Laguna College of Art and Design 9:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or Laguna College of Art and Design? 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 Laguna College of Art and Design ($9,850 vs. $47,702).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 8.8% lower than at Laguna College of Art and Design ($17,831 vs. $19,553).
• Laguna College of Art and Design is 394.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $29,917 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 85.8% higher at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University East Bay (about $17,317 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University East Bay (100% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 10.9% larger than aid received by Laguna College of Art and Design students ($12,369 vs. $11,153).

Cal State East Bay vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or Laguna College of Art and Design? 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 Laguna College of Art and Design and Cal State East Bay.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; Laguna College of Art and Design - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; Laguna College of Art and Design Aug 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Laguna College of Art and Design students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Laguna College of Art and Design (94.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 23.1% at Laguna College of Art and Design.

Cal State East Bay vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and Laguna College of Art and Design? 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.

• Laguna College of Art and Design's six-year graduation rate (56%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $15,200 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $40,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $10,367 lower median loan debt than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates ($16,332 vs. $26,699).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $108 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates ($168 vs. $276).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Laguna College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation. (61% 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.