Concordia University-Irvine vs. San Francisco State

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

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Location Irvine, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 3,481 23,908
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #466 #761
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cui.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $40,510 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $40,510 $17,622
Room & Board $13,330 $17,955
Avg Net Price $29,413 $13,353
Avg Grant Aid $26,988 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,564 29,878
Admitted 2,732 28,727
Acceptance Rate 59.9% 96.1%
Enrolled % 10.6% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 16/23
SAT Range 1030/1260 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, 2025

Academics

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 51% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,678 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $234 $178

Diversity

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
% Men 20% 5%
% Women 38% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 21%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 21% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 14% 5%

Students

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
% In-State 72% 96%
% Out-of-State 24% 2%

Campus

 Concordia University-Irvine San Francisco State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Francisco State University is larger than than Concordia University-Irvine based on total student enrollment (23,908 students vs. 3,481 students)

Concordia University-Irvine vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Concordia University-Irvine or San Francisco State?

  • Concordia University Irvine is 605.5% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($40,510.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.9% higher at Concordia University-Irvine than San Francisco State University ($40,510.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than Concordia University-Irvine ($13,353 vs. $29,413)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Concordia University Irvine are 34.7% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($13,330 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Concordia University Irvine than San Francisco State University (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Irvine students is 134.7% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($26,988 vs. $11,498)

Concordia University-Irvine vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Concordia University-Irvine 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 Concordia University-Irvine .

  • The average SAT score at Concordia University Irvine (1029) is 50 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
  • Incoming Concordia University-Irvine students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at San Francisco State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Concordia University-Irvine students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.1%) than Concordia University-Irvine (59.9%)

Concordia University-Irvine vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Concordia University-Irvine 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 Concordia University-Irvine.

  • The graduation rate at Concordia University-Irvine is higher than San Francisco State University (51% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $4,300 more per year than Concordia University-Irvine graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $48,300)
  • San Francisco State University students graduate with a $5,428 lower median federal student loan debt than Concordia University-Irvine graduates. ($17,250 vs. $22,678)
  • San Francisco State graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Concordia University-Irvine graduates. ($178 vs. $234)
  • More Concordia University-Irvine graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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