CSU Fresno vs Sac State

California State University-Fresno and California State University-Sacramento, both esteemed institutions within the California State University system, offer unique educational experiences to prospective students. While sharing similarities as comprehensive universities, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. CSU-Fresno boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students, while CSU-Sacramento's slightly lower acceptance rate indicates a more selective admissions process. In terms of popular majors, CSU-Fresno excels in agriculture and related sciences, reflecting its location in the heart of California's agricultural region, while CSU-Sacramento shines in business and management, a testament to its urban setting. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional academic programs, to determine which university best aligns with your aspirations and goals.
California State University-Fresno logo

California State University-Fresno

California State University-Sacramento logo

California State University-Sacramento

Overview

Location Fresno, California Sacramento, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 77.0% 81.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 97.3% 93.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 15,231 22,706
Total number of admissions given out 14,816 21,272
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,451 3,581
Yield rate 23.3% 16.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,085

Out of state: $39,965
In state: $31,488

Out of state: $43,368
Average net price $6,336 $7,778
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,433

Meal plan: $4,560
Room/dormitory: $7,744

Meal plan: $5,030
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

82.0%
Average amount $10,314
80.0%
Average amount $9,769
Students receiving federal student loan 12.0%
Average amount $4,620
18.0%
Average amount $4,607
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $8,114
0.0%
Average amount $12,368

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 22,187
Men 39.9% Women 60.1%
29,451
Men 42.8% Women 57.2%
Graduate students 2,860
Men 33.8% Women 66.2%
3,047
Men 32.9% Women 67.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 1.1% 1.6%
International students 4.8% 4.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,139 2,173
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Arizona Washington Colorado Hawaii California Washington Arizona Hawaii Alaska

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Engineering
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 22:1 25:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 56.6% 57.5%
Dropout rate 36.1% 32.1%
Transferred out 1.6% 3.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $134,798
  • Year 2: $152,201
  • Year 3: $138,860
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,496
  • Year 2: $102,409
  • Year 3: $120,286
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,427
  • Year 2: $101,964
  • Year 3: $107,577
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,988
  • Year 2: $90,049
  • Year 3: $93,007
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,843
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $92,510
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,004
  • Year 2: $85,159
  • Year 3: $89,931
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,885
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $84,934
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,380
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $83,440
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $81,726
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,361
  • Year 2: $70,009
  • Year 3: $79,715
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,852
  • Year 2: $108,495
  • Year 3: $114,088
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,797
  • Year 2: $90,412
  • Year 3: $101,346
Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,148
  • Year 2: $80,779
  • Year 3: $91,338
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,787
  • Year 2: $80,022
  • Year 3: $90,507
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,004
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $89,399
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,951
  • Year 2: $78,343
  • Year 3: $85,246
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,130
  • Year 2: $70,596
  • Year 3: $82,173
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,865
  • Year 2: $73,739
  • Year 3: $81,304
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,510
  • Year 2: $67,240
  • Year 3: $80,353
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,158
  • Year 2: $64,406
  • Year 3: $73,910

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Stanislaus California State University-Stanislaus
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-San Bernardino California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State Polytechnic University-Pomona California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Chico California State University-Chico
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-East Bay California State University-East Bay
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Los Angeles California State University-Los Angeles
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Northridge California State University-Northridge
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Sacramento California State University-Sacramento
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Metropolitan State University of Denver Metropolitan State University of Denver
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs University of Northern Colorado University of Northern Colorado
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Missouri State University-Springfield Missouri State University-Springfield
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs CUNY City College CUNY City College
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs SUNY Buffalo State SUNY Buffalo State
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Youngstown State University Youngstown State University
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs University of Central Oklahoma University of Central Oklahoma
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Marcos
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Monterey Bay California State University-Monterey Bay
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs California State University-Channel Islands California State University-Channel Islands
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs University of California-Merced University of California-Merced
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs DeVry University-California DeVry University-California
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs DeVry University-Nevada DeVry University-Nevada
California State University-Fresno CSU Fresno vs Kennesaw State University Kennesaw State University
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Stanislaus California State University-Stanislaus
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-San Bernardino California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State Polytechnic University-Pomona California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Chico California State University-Chico
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Fullerton California State University-Fullerton
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-East Bay California State University-East Bay
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Northridge California State University-Northridge
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs Samuel Merritt University Samuel Merritt University
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs University of North Florida University of North Florida
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs Youngstown State University Youngstown State University
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Marcos
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Monterey Bay California State University-Monterey Bay
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs California State University-Channel Islands California State University-Channel Islands
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs University of California-Merced University of California-Merced
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs DeVry University-California DeVry University-California
California State University-Sacramento Sac State vs DeVry University-Nevada DeVry University-Nevada