Cuesta College vs. Fullerton College

Should I go to Cuesta College or Fullerton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or Fullerton College 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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Cuesta College vs. Fullerton College comparison
Cuesta College Fullerton College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Fullerton, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 9,908 18,370
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu fullcoll.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,384
Room & Board $17,784 $20,949
Avg Net Price $14,507 $10,073
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $6,502
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 87%

Admission

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 13, 2025

Academics

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $116 N/A

Diversity

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
% Men 49% 47%
% Women 51% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 22%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 53%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
% In-State 95% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

 Cuesta College Fullerton College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Fullerton College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (18,370 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. Fullerton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or Fullerton College?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Fullerton College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at Fullerton College than Cuesta College ($9,384.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fullerton College than Cuesta College ($10,073 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 17.8% lower than costs at Fullerton College ($17,784 vs. $20,949)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fullerton College than Cuesta College (87% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fullerton College students is 42.6% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($6,502 vs. $4,559)

Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or Fullerton College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Fullerton College or Cuesta College .

Cuesta College vs. Fullerton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or Fullerton College? 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 Fullerton College and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Fullerton College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $37,300)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fullerton College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 39%)

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