Cal State LA vs. UT-Pan American

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or The University of Texas Pan American? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or UT-Pan American 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 Pan American comparison
California State University Los Angeles The University of Texas Pan American College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles The University of Texas Pan American
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Overview

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
Location Los Angeles, CA Edinburg, TX
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 26,460 31,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947 #896
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu utpa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,854
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,649
Room & Board $17,998 $8,888
Avg Net Price $5,801 $8,105
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $9,938
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 98%

Admission

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 13,744
Admitted 29,507 12,053
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 87.7%
Enrolled % 13.2% 47.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.16
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 16/22
SAT Range 870/1060 830/1090
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
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 (16%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
Graduation Rate 36% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $10,539
Median Loan Payment $133 $108

Diversity

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
% Men 41% 40%
% Women 59% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 7% 3%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 63% 91%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Cal State LA UT-Pan American
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Texas Pan American is larger than than Cal State LA based on total student enrollment (31,559 students vs. 26,460 students)

Cal State LA vs. UT-Pan American Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or UT-Pan American?

  • The University of Texas Pan American is 36.8% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($7,854.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at UT-Pan American than California State University Los Angeles ($17,649.00 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 UT-Pan American ($5,801 vs. $8,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas Pan American are 102.5% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($8,888 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Texas Pan American than California State University Los Angeles (98% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 9.8% larger than aid received The University of Texas Pan American ($10,907 vs. $9,938)

Cal State LA vs. UT-Pan American Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Texas Pan American (924) is 50 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming UT-Pan American students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (19) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State LA students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at UT-Pan American (3.16)
  • UT-Pan American has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

Cal State LA vs. UT-Pan American Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or UT-Pan American? 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 UT-Pan American and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at UT-Pan American is higher than California State University Los Angeles (42% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn on average $5,000 more per year than UT-Pan American graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $41,900)
  • The University of Texas Pan American students graduate with a $2,381 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State LA graduates. ($10,539 vs. $12,920)
  • UT-Pan American graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State LA graduates. ($108 vs. $133)
  • More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT-Pan American students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 51%)

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