San Francisco State University (SFSU) vs Cal Poly Humboldt

San Francisco State University (SFSU) and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (Humboldt State) are two distinct universities in California with unique offerings. SFSU, located in the heart of San Francisco, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while Humboldt State, nestled in the scenic redwood forests of Arcata, emphasizes hands-on learning and environmental studies. With different acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

San Francisco State University logo

San Francisco State University

Overview

Location Arcata, California San Francisco, California
Campus setting Town: Remote 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 74.0% 85.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.5% 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 7,013 27,777
Total number of admissions given out 6,414 25,809
Admitted students who chose to enroll 629 3,149
Yield rate 9.8% 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: $25,668

Out of state: $37,548
In state: $30,675

Out of state: $42,555
Average net price $13,904 $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: $6,638

Meal plan: $5,600
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)

75.0%
Average amount $9,716
72.0%
Average amount $9,586
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $4,831
19.0%
Average amount $4,829
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,255
1.0%
Average amount $13,379

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,354
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
23,424
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Graduate students 554
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
3,475
Men 34.7% Women 65.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 7.0% 1.6%
International students 1.3% 7.0%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,069 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 Colorado Hawaii California Washington Oregon Texas Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 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 47.5% 53.7%
Dropout rate 42.0% 35.5%
Transferred out 7.8% 7.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,497
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $69,150
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,856
  • Year 2: $48,265
  • Year 3: $60,145
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $58,243
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,405
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,583
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,805
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,240
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,362
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,717
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,892
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $42,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,215
  • Year 2: $36,294
  • Year 3: $41,528
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,882
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $39,496
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,867
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $37,639
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

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.
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