California State University-Fullerton vs California State University-Sacramento

California State University-Fullerton and California State University-Sacramento are both well-regarded institutions, but they differ in important ways. Here's how they compare across key dimensions.

Admissions: California State University-Fullerton is more selective with a 86.7% acceptance rate compared to California State University-Sacramento's 93.6%.

Cost: California State University-Fullerton offers a lower average net price at $5,646, which is $4,866 less than California State University-Sacramento ($10,512). After financial aid, this can make a significant difference over 4 years.

Career Outcomes: Graduates from California State University-Sacramento earn a median salary of $64,876 ten years after enrollment, which is $1,925 more than California State University-Fullerton graduates ($62,951).

Graduation: California State University-Fullerton leads with a 69.3% graduation rate, and freshman retention rates are 85.0% vs 81.1%.

Campus Size: California State University-Fullerton is the larger campus with 36,956 total students, while California State University-Sacramento has 27,867.

Bottom Line: California State University-Fullerton wins on affordability while California State University-Sacramento leads in career earnings. Your choice depends on whether upfront cost or long-term ROI matters more.