Cal State East Bay vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston

Comparable Facts

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

University of Massachusetts Boston is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (15,575 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); University of Massachusetts Boston is in Boston, MA (Large City setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Massachusetts Boston is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; University of Massachusetts Boston 15:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or University of Massachusetts-Boston? 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 University of Massachusetts-Boston ($9,850 vs. $17,768).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 6.8% lower than at University of Massachusetts Boston ($17,831 vs. $19,128).
• University of Massachusetts Boston is 109.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $8,325 more per year; $15,908.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 88.9% higher at University of Massachusetts-Boston than at California State University East Bay (about $17,942 more per year; $38,125.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Boston than at California State University East Bay (88% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Boston students is 13.5% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($14,042 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or University of Massachusetts-Boston? 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 University of Massachusetts-Boston and Cal State East Bay.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresUniversity of Massachusetts Boston 1070/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresUniversity of Massachusetts Boston 22/29.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; University of Massachusetts-Boston - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; University of Massachusetts-Boston Feb 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman University of Massachusetts-Boston students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.35) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than University of Massachusetts-Boston (83.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 12.3% at University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Cal State East Bay vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and University of Massachusetts-Boston? 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 University of Massachusetts Boston's (40%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $5,728 lower median loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates ($16,332 vs. $22,060).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $60 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates ($168 vs. $228).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Boston students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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.