Cal State East Bay vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (22,563 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); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or San Francisco 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 San Francisco State ($9,850 vs. $13,168).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 19.9% lower than at San Francisco State University ($17,831 vs. $22,266).
• San Francisco State University is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $367 more per year; $7,950.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.8% higher at San Francisco State than at California State University East Bay (about $367 more per year; $20,550.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University East Bay than at San Francisco State University (79% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 5.1% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($12,996 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or San Francisco 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 San Francisco State and Cal State East Bay.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman San Francisco State students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than San Francisco State (96.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

Cal State East Bay vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and San Francisco 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).

• San Francisco State University's six-year graduation rate (46%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than San Francisco State graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $52,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $918 lower median loan debt than San Francisco State graduates ($16,332 vs. $17,250).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Francisco State graduates ($168 vs. $178).
• More San Francisco State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (63% 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.