Cal State Fullerton vs. USC

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

Cal State Fullerton USC
Location Fullerton, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 40,386 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton USC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $63,468
Room & Board $16,702 $17,436
Avg Net Price $7,925 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 71%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 69,062
Admitted 32,527 8,304
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 12%
Enrolled % 16.2% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 18/23 32/35
SAT Range 1000/1180 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State Fullerton USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton USC
Graduation Rate 50% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $155 $231

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton USC
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 40%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 40% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Cal State Fullerton USC
% In-State 99% 42%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton USC
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 Southern California is larger than than Cal State Fullerton based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 40,386 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USC Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern California is 1,005.3% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.2% higher at USC than California State University Fullerton ($63,468.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than USC ($7,925 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 4.4% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($16,702 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than University of Southern California (74% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 392.3% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($45,262 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 367 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming USC students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than USC (12%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than California State University Fullerton (90% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $36,500 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $7,375 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,375)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($155 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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