San Francisco State University (SFSU) vs Chico State

Nestled in the heart of California, San Francisco State University and California State University-Chico stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant student life. While both universities share the distinction of being part of the prestigious California State University system, they diverge in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison delves into these differences, providing prospective students with a comprehensive overview of each institution's strengths and characteristics. Whether you're drawn to the urban energy of San Francisco or the natural beauty of Chico, this comparison will help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	California State University-Chico	San Francisco State University
Overview
Location	Chico, California	San Francisco, California
Campus setting	City: Midsize	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	81.0%	85.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.5%	92.9%
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	19,990	27,777
Total number of admissions given out	17,086	25,809
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,929	3,149
Yield rate	11.3%	12.2%
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: $23,984 Out of state: $35,864	In state: $30,675 Out of state: $42,555
Average net price	$13,749	$13,641
Tuition	In state: $5,742 Out of state: $17,622	In state: $5,742 Out of state: $17,622
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,609 Meal plan: $3,881	Room/dormitory: $10,134 Meal plan: $4,392
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	63.0% Average amount $8,691	72.0% Average amount $9,586
Students receiving federal student loan	29.0% Average amount $4,637	19.0% Average amount $4,829
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $11,369	1.0% Average amount $13,379

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	14,462 Men 45.5% Women 54.5%	23,424 Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Graduate students	1,240 Men 33.6% Women 66.4%	3,475 Men 34.7% Women 65.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	1.3%	1.6%
International students	2.9%	7.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,323	4,332
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Oregon Washington Arizona Colorado	California Washington Oregon Texas Colorado

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Public Administration and Social Service Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Engineering Technologies	Health Professions Education Visual & Performing Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Business
Students to faculty ratio	22:1	20:1
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	65.4%	53.7%
Dropout rate	27.4%	35.5%
Transferred out	4.8%	7.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $94,107 Year 2: $95,797 Year 3: $96,478 Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $78,190 Year 2: $83,091 Year 3: $93,961 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,808 Year 2: $74,241 Year 3: $91,563 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,244 Year 2: $70,176 Year 3: $79,499 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,761 Year 2: $69,617 Year 3: $79,308 Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,803 Year 2: $66,355 Year 3: $76,389 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,879 Year 2: $59,350 Year 3: $74,258 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,880 Year 2: $66,222 Year 3: $74,116 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,298 Year 2: $68,499 Year 3: $69,321 Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,812 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $68,680	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $113,349 Year 2: $112,270 Year 3: $136,160 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Post-Baccalaureate Certificates) Year 1: $111,466 Year 2: $119,061 Year 3: $134,876 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $99,655 Year 2: $111,769 Year 3: $118,952 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $88,331 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $92,910 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,088 Year 2: $68,499 Year 3: $89,726 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $77,510 Year 2: $80,124 Year 3: $88,723 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $71,988 Year 2: $72,605 Year 3: $85,412 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,876 Year 2: $68,219 Year 3: $82,073 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,604 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $80,061 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $70,296 Year 3: $78,899

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