Cal State LA vs. UTEP

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or The University of Texas at El Paso? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or UTEP 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. The University of Texas at El Paso comparison
California State University Los Angeles The University of Texas at El Paso College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles The University of Texas at El Paso
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Overview

Cal State LA UTEP
Location Los Angeles, CA El Paso, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,460 23,880
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947 #1039
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu utep.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA UTEP
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,704
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $23,112
Room & Board $17,998 $9,582
Avg Net Price $5,801 $9,563
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $10,564
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 87%

Admission

Cal State LA UTEP
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 10,493
Admitted 29,507 10,485
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 99.9%
Enrolled % 13.2% 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 16/22
SAT Range 870/1060 870/1090
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, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Cal State LA UTEP
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 (20%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA UTEP
Graduation Rate 36% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $133 $178

Diversity

Cal State LA UTEP
% Men 41% 44%
% Women 59% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 7% 7%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 63% 83%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Cal State LA UTEP
% In-State 99% 92%
% Out-of-State 0% 2%

Campus

Cal State LA UTEP
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 UTEP based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 23,880 students)

Cal State LA vs. UTEP Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or UTEP?

  • The University of Texas at El Paso is 34.2% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($7,704.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.2% higher at UTEP than California State University Los Angeles ($23,112.00 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 UTEP ($5,801 vs. $9,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at El Paso are 87.8% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($9,582 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than The University of Texas at El Paso (91% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 3.2% larger than aid received The University of Texas at El Paso ($10,907 vs. $10,564)

Cal State LA vs. UTEP Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Texas at El Paso (933) is 59 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming UTEP students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State LA students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at UTEP (3.3)
  • UTEP has a higher acceptance rate (99.9%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

Cal State LA vs. UTEP Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or UTEP? 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 UTEP and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at UTEP is higher than California State University Los Angeles (37% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn on average $4,700 more per year than UTEP graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $42,200)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than UTEP graduates. ($12,920 vs. $17,250)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than UTEP graduates. ($133 vs. $178)
  • More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTEP students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 45%)

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