Sacramento State vs. Menlo

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, CA with Menlo College in Atherton, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Sacramento is larger than Menlo based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 810 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Sacramento is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); Menlo College is in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Sacramento 24:1; Menlo College 14:1.

Sacramento State vs. Menlo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or Menlo? 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 Sacramento than Menlo ($10,110 vs. $32,563).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Menlo College are 4.9% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($18,236 vs. $19,174).
• Menlo College is 568.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sacramento State (about $45,612 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $8,018.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 160.1% higher at Menlo than at California State University Sacramento (about $33,012 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $20,618.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College than at California State University Sacramento (100% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 206.8% larger than aid received by California State University Sacramento students ($39,174 vs. $12,767).

Sacramento State vs. Menlo Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or Menlo? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Menlo and Sacramento State.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sacramento State - Test-free; Menlo - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; Menlo Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Menlo (3.3).
• Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (94%) than Menlo (68.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 5.3% at Menlo.

Sacramento State vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sacramento State and Menlo? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• California State University Sacramento's six-year graduation rate (42%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Sacramento State graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $5,312 lower median loan debt than Menlo graduates ($15,750 vs. $21,062).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Menlo graduates ($162 vs. $217).
• More Sacramento State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 55%)

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.