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San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State CSUDH California State University-Fresno California State University-San Bernardino California State University-Northridge CSU Cal State East Bay La Verne UC Merced| California State University Los Angeles | Pacific Union College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Angwin, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 25,080 | 938 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #941 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Seventh Day Adventists | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calstatela.edu | puc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $34,191 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $34,191 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,658 | $9,471 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,551 | $22,799 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,478 | $24,423 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 100% |
Admission |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 32,748 | 1,323 | ||
| Admitted | 30,106 | 562 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.9% | 42.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 24.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.24 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 15/20 | 20/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 870/1060 | 930/1190 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 19, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 36% | 45% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,900 | $59,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 57% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,920 | $30,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $133 | $310 |
Diversity |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 7% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 63% | 28% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 7% | ||
| % International | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 21% | ||
Campus |
Cal State LA | PUC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Los Angeles is larger than than PUC based on total student enrollment (25,080 students vs. 938 students)
Cal State LA vs. PUC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or PUC?
- Pacific Union College is 495.5% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($34,191.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 94% higher at PUC than California State University Los Angeles ($34,191.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than PUC ($4,551 vs. $22,799)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Union College are 97% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($9,471 vs. $18,658)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Union College than California State University Los Angeles (100% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Union College students is 95.7% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($24,423 vs. $12,478)
Cal State LA vs. PUC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or PUC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PUC or Cal State LA .
- The average SAT score at Pacific Union College (984) is 110 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
- Incoming PUC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Cal State LA (18)
- Accepted freshman Cal State LA students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at PUC (3.24)
- Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than PUC (42.5%)
Cal State LA vs. PUC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State LA or PUC? 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 PUC and Cal State LA.
- The graduation rate at PUC is higher than California State University Los Angeles (45% vs. 36%)
- Graduates from Pacific Union College earn on average $12,300 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($59,200 vs. $46,900)
- California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $17,080 lower median federal student loan debt than PUC graduates. ($12,920 vs. $30,000)
- Cal State LA graduates are paying $177 less per month on federal student loans than PUC graduates. ($133 vs. $310)
- More PUC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/