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UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Cal State Long Beach San Jose State Pepperdine SCU USF CSU UC Merced USC| California State University Fullerton | University of San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,962 | 9,110 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #786 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | sandiego.edu | ||
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Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $55,690 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $55,690 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,348 | $18,084 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,283 | $37,675 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,445 | $37,444 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 84% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,591 | 15,953 | ||
| Admitted | 42,149 | 7,458 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 46.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 16.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | |||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | |||
| 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 | USD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $70,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $22,904 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $236 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 22% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 53% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 6% | ||
| % International | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 43% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | USD | ||
| 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 USD based on total student enrollment (41,962 students vs. 9,110 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or USD?
- University of San Diego is 869.9% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($55,690.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 216% higher at USD than California State University Fullerton ($55,690.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than USD ($6,283 vs. $37,675)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 1.5% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($18,084 vs. $18,348)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California State University Fullerton (84% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 258.5% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($37,444 vs. $10,445)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 212 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming USD students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
- Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
- Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than USD (46.7%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or USD? 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 USD and Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at USD is higher than California State University Fullerton (75% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $21,200 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $49,000)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $7,904 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,904)
- Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($155 vs. $236)
- More USD 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/