Cal State Fullerton vs. Washington State

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

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
Location Fullerton, CA Pullman, WA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 40,386 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $26,392
Room & Board $16,702 $12,396
Avg Net Price $7,925 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 83%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 19,401
Admitted 32,527 16,123
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 83.1%
Enrolled % 16.2% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1180 1020/1210
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 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
Graduation Rate 50% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $155 $211

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 22% 63%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 40% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Cal State Fullerton Washington State
% In-State 99% 83%
% Out-of-State 1% 15%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton Washington 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 Washington State based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 27,539 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

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

  • Washington State University is 86.5% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($10,708.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.8% higher at Washington State than California State University Fullerton ($26,392.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Washington State ($7,925 vs. $17,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 34.7% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($12,396 vs. $16,702)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than California State University Fullerton (83% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 16.3% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($10,689 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington State University (1039) is 15 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming Washington 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 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (83.1%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Washington 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 Washington State and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than California State University Fullerton (67% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $5,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $5,429 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $20,429)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Washington State graduates. ($155 vs. $211)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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