Cal State LA vs. San Francisco State

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or San Francisco State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or San Francisco 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 Los Angeles vs. San Francisco State University comparison
California State University Los Angeles San Francisco State University College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles San Francisco State University
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Overview

Cal State LA San Francisco State
Location Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,460 25,282
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947 #789
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $17,998 $17,955
Avg Net Price $5,801 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 72%

Admission

Cal State LA San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 29,932
Admitted 29,507 28,195
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 94.2%
Enrolled % 13.2% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 16/23
SAT Range 870/1060 930/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 19, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State LA San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 36% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $133 $178

Diversity

Cal State LA San Francisco State
% Men 41% 43%
% Women 59% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 7% 21%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 63% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Cal State LA San Francisco State
% In-State 99% 96%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

Cal State LA San Francisco 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 Los Angeles is larger than than San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 25,282 students)

Cal State LA vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or San Francisco State?

  • California State University Los Angeles and San Francisco State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Cal State LA as San Francisco State University ($17,622.00 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 San Francisco State ($5,801 vs. $13,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco State University are 0.2% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($17,955 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than San Francisco State University (91% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 11% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($10,907 vs. $9,830)

Cal State LA vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Francisco State University (979) is 105 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming San Francisco State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State LA students have at the same average high school GPA (3.31) as students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

Cal State LA vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or San Francisco 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 San Francisco State and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at San Francisco State is higher than California State University Los Angeles (46% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $5,700 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than San Francisco State graduates. ($12,920 vs. $17,250)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than San Francisco State graduates. ($133 vs. $178)
  • More San Francisco State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

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