Sacramento State vs. UC Riverside

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

Sacramento State UC Riverside
Location Sacramento, CA Riverside, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 31,818 26,809
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #850 #272
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csus.edu ucr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Sacramento State UC Riverside
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,278 $17,333
Avg Net Price $11,596 $14,487
Avg Grant Aid $9,590 $22,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 75%

Admission

Sacramento State UC Riverside
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,276 54,683
Admitted 23,559 37,563
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 68.7%
Enrolled % 16.6% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.84
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 22/31
SAT Range 930/1130 1080/1280
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 UC Riverside
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Sacramento State UC Riverside
Graduation Rate 42% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $52,200
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,750 $19,109
Median Loan Payment $162 $197

Diversity

Sacramento State UC Riverside
% Men 43% 49%
% Women 57% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 29% 13%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 29% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

Sacramento State UC Riverside
% In-State 98% 94%
% Out-of-State 1% 2%

Campus

Sacramento State UC Riverside
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 UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (31,818 students vs. 26,809 students)

Sacramento State vs. UC Riverside Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or UC Riverside?

  • University of California Riverside is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Sacramento State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Riverside than California State University Sacramento ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Sacramento than UC Riverside ($11,596 vs. $14,487)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 6.5% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($16,278 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Sacramento than University of California Riverside (78% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 129.8% larger than aid received California State University Sacramento ($22,042 vs. $9,590)

Sacramento State vs. UC Riverside Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Riverside (1119) is 171 points higher than at Sacramento State (948)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Sacramento State (20)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Sacramento State (3.42)
  • Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

Sacramento State vs. UC Riverside Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Sacramento State or UC Riverside? 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 UC Riverside and Sacramento State.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than California State University Sacramento (67% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $1,200 more per year than Sacramento State graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $51,000)
  • California State University Sacramento students graduate with a $3,359 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Riverside graduates. ($15,750 vs. $19,109)
  • Sacramento State graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than UC Riverside graduates. ($162 vs. $197)
  • More UC Riverside graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 64%)

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