SFBU vs. CSUMB

Comparable Facts

Compare San Francisco Bay University in Fremont, California with California State University Monterey Bay in Seaside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Monterey Bay is larger than SFBU based on total student enrollment (7,713 students vs. 389 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Francisco Bay University is located in Fremont, California (Large Suburban setting); California State University Monterey Bay is in Seaside, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• San Francisco Bay University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Monterey Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Francisco Bay University 10:1; California State University Monterey Bay 24:1.

SFBU vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SFBU or CSUMB? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco Bay University than CSUMB ($10,294 vs. $14,493).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 37.9% lower than at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,700 vs. $17,234).
• San Francisco Bay University is 13.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUMB (about $1,051 more per year; $8,830.00 vs. $7,779.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 130.8% higher at CSUMB than at San Francisco Bay University (about $11,549 more per year; $20,379.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than at California State University Monterey Bay (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is 2.9% larger than aid received by San Francisco Bay University students ($12,185 vs. $11,841).

SFBU vs. CSUMB Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SFBU or CSUMB? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSUMB and SFBU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Monterey Bay 960/1160.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Monterey Bay 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SFBU - Test-free; CSUMB - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: SFBU Aug 5, 2027; CSUMB Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman CSUMB students have a 0.73 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at SFBU (2.72).
• CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than SFBU (95.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.6% at SFBU vs. 9.8% at CSUMB.

SFBU vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SFBU and CSUMB? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Monterey Bay's six-year graduation rate is 38%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for SFBU.
• Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay have median earnings of about $45,300 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for SFBU.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.