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San Diego State Cal State Long Beach San Jose State CSU UC Merced California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino San Francisco State Sacramento State UCLA Chapman Cal State LA| California State University Fullerton | Menlo College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | Atherton, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 41,962 | 840 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #786 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | menlo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $50,190 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $50,190 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,348 | $15,537 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,283 | $28,158 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,445 | $41,775 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 100% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,591 | 3,041 | ||
| Admitted | 42,149 | 2,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 67.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 8.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | |||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | |||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 34% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $53,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 55% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $21,062 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $217 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 29% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 8% | ||
| % International | 6% | 14% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 9% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 49% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 22% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | Menlo | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Fullerton is larger than than Menlo based on total student enrollment (41,962 students vs. 840 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Menlo Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Menlo?
- Menlo College is 774.1% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($50,190.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 184.8% higher at Menlo than California State University Fullerton ($50,190.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Menlo ($6,283 vs. $28,158)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Menlo College are 18.1% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($15,537 vs. $18,348)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Menlo College than California State University Fullerton (100% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 300% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($41,775 vs. $10,445)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Menlo Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Menlo? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Menlo or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 6 points higher than at Menlo (1018)
- Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Menlo (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Menlo (3.3)
- Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Menlo (67.8%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Menlo? 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 Menlo and Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than Menlo College (50% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from Menlo College earn on average $4,900 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $49,000)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $6,062 lower median federal student loan debt than Menlo graduates. ($15,000 vs. $21,062)
- Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Menlo graduates. ($155 vs. $217)
- More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/