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San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Diego State Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Merced UC Davis California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino| California State University Fullerton | San Jose State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | San Jose, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,962 | 36,062 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #786 | #571 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | sjsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,348 | $19,866 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,283 | $13,833 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,445 | $11,311 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 61% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,591 | 35,780 | ||
| Admitted | 42,149 | 28,708 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 80.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.35 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | 1010/1240 | ||
| 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 | Dec 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $59,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $155 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 15% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 19% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 26% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 4% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 96% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | San Jose 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 Jose State based on total student enrollment (41,962 students vs. 36,062 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or San Jose State?
- California State University Fullerton and San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose State ($6,283 vs. $13,833)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 8.3% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($18,348 vs. $19,866)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than San Jose State University (78% vs. 61%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by San Jose State University students is 8.3% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($11,311 vs. $10,445)
Cal State Fullerton vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or San Jose State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Jose State or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at San Jose State University (1055) is 31 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming San Jose State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
- Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than San Jose State (80.2%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or San Jose 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 Jose State and Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at Cal State Fullerton is higher than San Jose State University (50% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from San Jose State University earn on average $10,900 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($59,900 vs. $49,000)
- San Jose State University and Cal State Fullerton graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($15,000 vs. $15,000)
- San Jose State University and Cal State Fullerton graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($155 vs. $155)
- More San Jose State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/