Cal State Fullerton vs. San Francisco State

Should I go to California State University Fullerton or San Francisco State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Fullerton or San Francisco State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Fullerton vs. San Francisco State University comparison
California State University Fullerton San Francisco State University College 3 College 4
California State University Fullerton San Francisco State University
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Overview

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
Location Fullerton, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 25,282
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #789
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,702 $17,955
Avg Net Price $7,925 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 72%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 29,932
Admitted 32,527 28,195
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 94.2%
Enrolled % 16.2% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.31
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 16/23
SAT Range 1000/1180 930/1130
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, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 50% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $155 $178

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 21%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 40% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
% In-State 99% 96%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton San Francisco State
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 San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 25,282 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or San Francisco State?

  • California State University Fullerton and San Francisco State 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 San Francisco State University ($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 Fullerton than San Francisco State ($7,925 vs. $13,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 7.5% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($16,702 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than San Francisco State University (74% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 6.9% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($9,830 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or San Francisco State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Francisco State or Cal State Fullerton .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Fullerton (1024) is 45 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
  • Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at San Francisco State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than San Francisco State University (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $3,600 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than San Francisco State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $17,250)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than San Francisco State graduates. ($155 vs. $178)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/