Cal State Fullerton vs. SFBU

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fullerton in Fullerton, CA with San Francisco Bay University in Fremont, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Fullerton is larger than SFBU based on total student enrollment (43,662 students vs. 389 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Fullerton is located in Fullerton, CA (Midsize City setting); San Francisco Bay University is in Fremont, California (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Fullerton is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco Bay University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Fullerton 26:1; San Francisco Bay University 10:1.

Cal State Fullerton vs. SFBU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or SFBU? 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 SFBU ($7,064 vs. $10,294).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 43.9% lower than at California State University Fullerton ($10,700 vs. $19,080).
• San Francisco Bay University is 18.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State Fullerton (about $1,360 more per year; $8,830.00 vs. $7,470.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 127.3% higher at Cal State Fullerton than at San Francisco Bay University (about $11,240 more per year; $20,070.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than at California State University Fullerton (100% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco Bay University students is 5.4% larger than aid received by California State University Fullerton students ($11,841 vs. $11,234).

Cal State Fullerton vs. SFBU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or SFBU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SFBU and Cal State Fullerton.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Fullerton 1000/1180.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Fullerton 18/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State Fullerton - Test-free; SFBU - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State Fullerton Nov 30, 2026; SFBU Aug 5, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 1.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at SFBU (2.72).
• SFBU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Cal State Fullerton (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.2% at Cal State Fullerton vs. 5.6% at SFBU.

Cal State Fullerton vs. SFBU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State Fullerton and SFBU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Fullerton's six-year graduation rate is 50%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for SFBU.
• Graduates from California State University Fullerton have median earnings of about $49,000 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for SFBU.

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.