Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
USF Sacramento State San Jose State San Diego State Cal State East Bay CSU Sonoma State University Cal State Long Beach Cal State LA Westmont College Biola University Cal State Fullerton| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Francisco State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,319 | 25,282 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #292 | #789 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Church of the Nazarene | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | pointloma.edu | sfsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $40,400 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,400 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,800 | $17,955 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $34,933 | $13,267 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $19,422 | $9,830 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 72% |
Admission |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,149 | 29,932 | ||
| Admitted | 2,580 | 28,195 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.9% | 94.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.7% | 11.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.65 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/30 | 16/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1350 | 930/1130 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 15, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 19:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 72% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,500 | $52,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 79% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $17,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $178 |
Diversity |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 34% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 66% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 23% | 29% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 96% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 1% | ||
Campus |
PLNU | San Francisco State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Francisco State University is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (25,282 students vs. 4,319 students)
PLNU vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, PLNU or San Francisco State?
- Point Loma Nazarene University is 603.6% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 129.3% higher at PLNU than San Francisco State University ($40,400.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than PLNU ($13,267 vs. $34,933)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 52.2% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($11,800 vs. $17,955)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than San Francisco State University (100% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Point Loma Nazarene University students is 97.6% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($19,422 vs. $9,830)
PLNU vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, PLNU 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 PLNU .
- The average SAT score at Point Loma Nazarene University (1148) is 169 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
- Incoming PLNU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Francisco State (21)
- Accepted freshman PLNU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
- San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than PLNU (81.9%)
PLNU vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, PLNU 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 PLNU.
- The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than San Francisco State University (72% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $900 more per year than San Francisco State graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $52,600)
- San Francisco State University students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($17,250 vs. $25,000)
- San Francisco State graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($178 vs. $258)
- More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/