SFBU vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than SFBU based on total student enrollment (22,563 students vs. 389 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Francisco Bay University is located in Fremont, California (Large Suburban setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• San Francisco Bay University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Francisco Bay University 10:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

SFBU vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SFBU or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State ($10,294 vs. $13,168).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 51.9% lower than at San Francisco State University ($10,700 vs. $22,266).
• San Francisco Bay University is 11.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $880 more per year; $8,830.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 132.7% higher at San Francisco State than at San Francisco Bay University (about $11,720 more per year; $20,550.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than at San Francisco State University (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 9.8% larger than aid received by San Francisco Bay University students ($12,996 vs. $11,841).

SFBU vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SFBU or San Francisco State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Francisco State and SFBU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SFBU - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: SFBU Aug 5, 2027; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman San Francisco State students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at SFBU (2.72).
• San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than SFBU (95.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.6% at SFBU vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

SFBU vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SFBU and San Francisco State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

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.