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San Diego State Cal State Long Beach San Jose State CSU San Francisco State UC Merced California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino Sacramento State UCLA Chapman Pomona| California State University Fullerton | California State University Los Angeles | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,962 | 25,080 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #786 | #941 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | calstatela.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,348 | $18,658 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,283 | $4,551 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,445 | $12,478 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 93% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,591 | 32,748 | ||
| Admitted | 42,149 | 30,106 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 91.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 12% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 15/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | 870/1060 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Jan 19, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 36% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $46,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 57% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $12,920 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $133 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 7% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 63% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | Cal State LA | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Fullerton is larger than than Cal State LA based on total student enrollment (41,962 students vs. 25,080 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA?
- California State University Fullerton and Cal State LA cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at Cal State Fullerton as California State University Los Angeles ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than Cal State Fullerton ($4,551 vs. $6,283)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 1.7% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($18,348 vs. $18,658)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than California State University Fullerton (93% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 19.5% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($12,478 vs. $10,445)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State LA or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 150 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
- Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cal State LA (18)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
- Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Cal State Fullerton (86.7%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State LA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cal State LA and Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than California State University Los Angeles (50% vs. 36%)
- Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn on average $2,100 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,900)
- California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $2,080 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($12,920 vs. $15,000)
- Cal State LA graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($133 vs. $155)
- More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/