Cal State LA vs. SFBU

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA with San Francisco Bay University in Fremont, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Los Angeles is larger than SFBU based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 389 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco Bay University is in Fremont, California (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco Bay University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Los Angeles 21:1; San Francisco Bay University 10:1.

Cal State LA vs. SFBU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or SFBU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than SFBU ($4,460 vs. $10,294).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 45.7% lower than at California State University Los Angeles ($10,700 vs. $19,696).
• San Francisco Bay University is 23.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State LA (about $1,670 more per year; $8,830.00 vs. $7,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 123.8% higher at Cal State LA than at San Francisco Bay University (about $10,930 more per year; $19,760.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than at California State University Los Angeles (100% vs. 94%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 16.7% larger than aid received by San Francisco Bay University students ($13,824 vs. $11,841).

Cal State LA vs. SFBU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or SFBU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SFBU and Cal State LA.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Los Angeles 870/1060.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Los Angeles 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State LA - Test-free; SFBU - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027; SFBU Aug 5, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Cal State LA students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at SFBU (2.72).
• SFBU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Cal State LA (91.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.4% at Cal State LA vs. 5.6% at SFBU.

Cal State LA vs. SFBU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State LA and SFBU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Los Angeles's six-year graduation rate is 36%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for SFBU.
• Graduates from California State University Los Angeles have median earnings of about $46,900 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for SFBU.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.