Cal State Fullerton vs. Musicians Institute

Deciding between California State University Fullerton and Musicians Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

California State University Fullerton

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cal State Fullerton Fullerton, CA
  • Musicians Institute Hollywood, CA
  • Setting
  • Cal State Fullerton Midsize City
  • Musicians Institute Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cal State Fullerton 43,662
  • Musicians Institute 824
  • Type
  • Cal State Fullerton Public 4 Year
  • Musicians Institute Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cal State Fullerton #799
  • Musicians Institute
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cal State Fullerton -
  • Musicians Institute -
  • Status
  • Cal State Fullerton Non-profit
  • Musicians Institute For-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cal State Fullerton
  • Musicians Institute

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cal State Fullerton $7,470
  • Musicians Institute $34,322
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cal State Fullerton $20,070
  • Musicians Institute $34,322
  • Room & Board
  • Cal State Fullerton $19,080
  • Musicians Institute $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • Cal State Fullerton $7,064
  • Musicians Institute $49,657
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cal State Fullerton $11,234
  • Musicians Institute $4,353
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cal State Fullerton 78%
  • Musicians Institute 48%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cal State Fullerton 53,559
  • Musicians Institute 458
  • Admitted
  • Cal State Fullerton 48,482
  • Musicians Institute 357
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cal State Fullerton 90.5%
  • Musicians Institute 77.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Cal State Fullerton 14.2%
  • Musicians Institute 40.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cal State Fullerton 1090
  • Musicians Institute
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cal State Fullerton 20
  • Musicians Institute
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cal State Fullerton 3.77
  • Musicians Institute -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cal State Fullerton A-
  • Musicians Institute -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cal State Fullerton Very Easy
  • Musicians Institute Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cal State Fullerton
  • Musicians Institute
  • ACT Range
  • Cal State Fullerton 18/23
  • Musicians Institute
  • SAT Range
  • Cal State Fullerton 1000/1180
  • Musicians Institute
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cal State Fullerton Test-free
  • Musicians Institute Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026
  • Musicians Institute

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cal State Fullerton 26:1
  • Musicians Institute 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cal State Fullerton
    • Business (25%)
    • Communication (14%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
    • Psychology (6%)
  • Musicians Institute
    • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cal State Fullerton 50%
  • Musicians Institute 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cal State Fullerton $49,000
  • Musicians Institute $34,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cal State Fullerton 69%
  • Musicians Institute 53%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cal State Fullerton $15,000
  • Musicians Institute N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cal State Fullerton $155
  • Musicians Institute N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cal State Fullerton 43%
  • Musicians Institute 67%
  • % Women
  • Cal State Fullerton 57%
  • Musicians Institute 33%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cal State Fullerton Very High
  • Musicians Institute Very High
  • HBCU
  • Cal State Fullerton No
  • Musicians Institute No
  • % White
  • Cal State Fullerton 22%
  • Musicians Institute 26%
  • % Asian
  • Cal State Fullerton 22%
  • Musicians Institute 4%
  • % Black
  • Cal State Fullerton 2%
  • Musicians Institute 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cal State Fullerton 40%
  • Musicians Institute 13%
  • % Native American
  • Cal State Fullerton 0%
  • Musicians Institute 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cal State Fullerton 0%
  • Musicians Institute 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cal State Fullerton 4%
  • Musicians Institute 6%
  • % International
  • Cal State Fullerton 6%
  • Musicians Institute 35%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cal State Fullerton 4%
  • Musicians Institute 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cal State Fullerton 99%
  • Musicians Institute 24%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cal State Fullerton 1%
  • Musicians Institute 24%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cal State Fullerton Yes
  • Musicians Institute No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cal State Fullerton No
  • Musicians Institute No
  • Meal Plan
  • Cal State Fullerton Yes
  • Musicians Institute No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cal State Fullerton No
  • Musicians Institute Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cal State Fullerton Yes
  • Musicians Institute No

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fullerton in Fullerton, CA with Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fullerton is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (43,662 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • California State University Fullerton is located in Fullerton, CA (Midsize City setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
  • California State University Fullerton is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Fullerton 26:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

Cal State Fullerton vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Musicians Institute? 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 Fullerton than Musicians Institute ($7,064 vs. $49,657).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 13.6% lower than at Musicians Institute ($19,080 vs. $22,086).
  • Musicians Institute is 359.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State Fullerton (about $26,852 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $7,470.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 71% higher at Musicians Institute than at California State University Fullerton (about $14,252 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $20,070.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fullerton than at Musicians Institute (78% vs. 48%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fullerton students is 158.1% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($11,234 vs. $4,353).

Cal State Fullerton vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute and Cal State Fullerton.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fullerton 1000/1180.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fullerton 18/23.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State Fullerton - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026.
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.2% at Cal State Fullerton vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

Cal State Fullerton vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State Fullerton and Musicians Institute? 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).

  • Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University Fullerton's (50%).
  • Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn a median of about $14,100 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,000 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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.