Cal State Fullerton vs. UCLA

Should I go to California State University Fullerton or University of California Los Angeles? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Fullerton or UCLA 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. University of California Los Angeles comparison
California State University Fullerton University of California Los Angeles College 3 College 4
California State University Fullerton University of California Los Angeles
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Overview

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
Location Fullerton, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 46,430
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ucla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,702 $17,231
Avg Net Price $7,925 $16,999
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $21,766
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 46%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 149,801
Admitted 32,527 12,845
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 8.6%
Enrolled % 16.2% 50.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 18/23 29/35
SAT Range 1000/1180 1300/1530
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 UCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
Graduation Rate 50% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $70,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $16,300
Median Loan Payment $155 $168

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 27%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 40% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
% In-State 99% 77%
% Out-of-State 1% 15%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton UCLA
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

  • University of California Los Angeles is larger than than Cal State Fullerton based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 40,386 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or UCLA?

  • University of California Los Angeles is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCLA than California State University Fullerton ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than UCLA ($7,925 vs. $16,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 3.2% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($16,702 vs. $17,231)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than University of California Los Angeles (74% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 136.7% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($21,766 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 315 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than UCLA (8.6%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or UCLA? 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 UCLA and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than California State University Fullerton (90% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn on average $21,700 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($70,700 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $1,300 lower median federal student loan debt than UCLA graduates. ($15,000 vs. $16,300)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than UCLA graduates. ($155 vs. $168)
  • More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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