California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State East Bay

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Fresno is larger than Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 12,326 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State East Bay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno or Cal State East Bay? 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 Fresno than Cal State East Bay ($7,834 vs. $9,850).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 32.9% lower than at California State University East Bay ($11,960 vs. $17,831).
• California State University East Bay is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $233 more per year; $7,583.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.2% higher at Cal State East Bay than at California State University Fresno (about $233 more per year; $20,183.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at California State University East Bay (85% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 0.3% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($12,369 vs. $12,326).

California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State East Bay Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 890/1100.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Fresno - Test-free; Cal State East Bay - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Cal State East Bay students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than California State University-Fresno (95.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 6.9% at Cal State East Bay.

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

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno and Cal State East Bay? 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 Fresno's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $8,800 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $1,332 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($15,000 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($155 vs. $168).
• More California State University-Fresno 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.