Sacramento State vs. San Francisco State

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

Sacramento State San Francisco State
Location Sacramento, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 31,818 25,282
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #850 #789
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csus.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Sacramento State San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,278 $17,955
Avg Net Price $11,596 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $9,590 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 72%

Admission

Sacramento State San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,276 29,932
Admitted 23,559 28,195
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 94.2%
Enrolled % 16.6% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 16/23
SAT Range 930/1130 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 Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Sacramento State San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Sacramento State San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 42% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,750 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $162 $178

Diversity

Sacramento State San Francisco State
% Men 43% 43%
% Women 57% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 29% 21%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 29% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

Sacramento State San Francisco State
% In-State 98% 96%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

Sacramento State 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 Sacramento is larger than than San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (31,818 students vs. 25,282 students)

Sacramento State vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or San Francisco State?

  • California State University Sacramento 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 Sacramento State 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 Sacramento than San Francisco State ($11,596 vs. $13,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 10.3% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($16,278 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Sacramento than San Francisco State University (78% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 2.5% larger than aid received California State University Sacramento ($9,830 vs. $9,590)

Sacramento State vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State 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 Sacramento State .

  • The average SAT score at San Francisco State University (979) is 31 points higher than at Sacramento State (948)
  • Incoming San Francisco State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Sacramento State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than Sacramento State (93.2%)

Sacramento State vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Sacramento State 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 Sacramento State.

  • The graduation rate at San Francisco State is higher than California State University Sacramento (46% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than Sacramento State graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $51,000)
  • California State University Sacramento students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than San Francisco State graduates. ($15,750 vs. $17,250)
  • Sacramento State graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than San Francisco State graduates. ($162 vs. $178)
  • More Sacramento State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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