California State University-Fresno vs. Saint Mary's College of California

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fresno in Fresno, CA with Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fresno is larger than Saint Mary's College of California based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 2,734 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California State University-Fresno vs. Saint Mary's College of California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 Saint Mary's College of California ($7,834 vs. $35,332).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 32% lower than at Saint Mary's College of California ($11,960 vs. $17,600).
• Saint Mary's College of California is 686.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $50,453 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 189.7% higher at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University Fresno (about $37,853 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University Fresno (100% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College of California students is 244% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($42,407 vs. $12,326).

California State University-Fresno vs. Saint Mary's College of California Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Fresno or Saint Mary's College of California? 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 Saint Mary's College of California and California State University-Fresno.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College of California (1160) is 160 points higher than at California State University-Fresno (1000).
• Incoming Saint Mary's College of California students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (24 vs. 18 at California State University-Fresno).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 890/1100; Saint Mary's College of California 1070/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 16/21; Saint Mary's College of California 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Fresno - Test-free; Saint Mary's College of California - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; Saint Mary's College of California Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Saint Mary's College of California students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Saint Mary's College of California (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 9.5% at Saint Mary's College of California.

California State University-Fresno vs. Saint Mary's College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno and Saint Mary's College of California? 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).

• Saint Mary's College of California's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than California State University Fresno's (49%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College of California earn a median of about $20,300 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,800 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $10,000 lower median loan debt than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($15,000 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $103 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($155 vs. $258).
• More Saint Mary's College of California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (71% 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.