California State University-Fresno vs. Pitzer

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fresno in Fresno, CA with Pitzer College in Claremont, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fresno is larger than Pitzer based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 1,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Fresno is located in Fresno, CA (Large City setting); Pitzer College is in Claremont, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Fresno is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Pitzer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Fresno 22:1; Pitzer College 10:1.

California State University-Fresno vs. Pitzer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno or Pitzer? 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 Pitzer ($7,834 vs. $34,979).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 46% lower than at Pitzer College ($11,960 vs. $22,150).
• Pitzer College is 787% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $57,842 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 226.8% higher at Pitzer than at California State University Fresno (about $45,242 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at Pitzer College (85% vs. 39%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pitzer College students is 317.7% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($51,487 vs. $12,326).

California State University-Fresno vs. Pitzer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Fresno or Pitzer? 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 Pitzer 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; Pitzer - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; Pitzer Jan 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Pitzer students have a 0.81 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Pitzer (25.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 35.8% at Pitzer.

California State University-Fresno vs. Pitzer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno and Pitzer? 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).

• Pitzer College's six-year graduation rate (81%) is higher than California State University Fresno's (49%).
• Graduates from Pitzer College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,600 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $895 lower median loan debt than Pitzer graduates ($15,000 vs. $15,895).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pitzer graduates ($155 vs. $164).
• More Pitzer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 63%)

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.