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Compare California State University-Sacramento vs San Francisco State University

Sacramento, CA · San Francisco, CA

California State University-SacramentoSan Francisco State University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$9,338/yr$12,278/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$6,501/yr$9,341/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$15,000$15,371
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$7,001/yr$9,867/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$9,212/yr$11,825/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$11,814/yr$14,556/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$18,861/yr$22,523/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$159/mo$163/mo
Room & board (on campus)$19,174/yr$22,266/yr
Room & board (off campus)$21,042/yr$22,230/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,160/yr$1,100/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$4,904/yr$4,734/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$22,945/yr$26,488/yr
Tuition (in-state)$8,018/yr$7,950/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$20,618/yr$20,550/yr
Students with Pell Grants49%42%
Students taking federal loans23%23%
Getting in
Students who get accepted94%96%
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received25,99429,878
Students accepted24,33628,727
Students who enrolled3,8842,985
Accepted students who enroll16%10%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayNot consideredNot considered
Recommendation lettersNot consideredNot considered
Class rankNot consideredNot considered
College-prep programRequiredRequired
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyNot consideredNot considered
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate56%50%
Freshmen who come back82%83%
Typical earnings 10 years in$64,876/yr$68,077/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$43,257–$89,789$38,781–$100,910
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)73%68%
White students graduating56%53%
Black students graduating52%36%
Hispanic students graduating56%44%
Asian students graduating60%63%
Typical earnings 6 years in$51,074/yr$52,650/yr
Earn more than a HS grad78%77%
Graduate on time28%28%
Pell students who graduate54%48%
First-gen students who finish63%63%
Low-income students who finish63%65%
Students who transfer out2.3%6.5%
Typical earnings 8 years in$58,491/yr$60,831/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsHealth Professions 14% · Business, Management & Marketing 14% · Social Sciences 8%Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Visual & Performing Arts 11% · Psychology 9%
Most popular programHealth Professions — 14% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees
2nd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 14% of degreesVisual & Performing Arts — 11% of degrees
3rd most popular programSocial Sciences — 8% of degreesPsychology — 9% of degrees
4th most popular programPsychology — 8% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees
5th most popular programHomeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degreesHealth Professions — 8% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $116,001/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $129,691/yr
Degrees in STEM17%19%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment28,35018,639
Students per professor24 : 119 : 1
Graduate students3,1233,119
Average professor pay$11,717/mo$13,199/mo
Full-time professors49%53%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Median family income$27,217$27,896
SettingCity (large)City (large)
LocationSacramento, CASan Francisco, CA
RegionFar WestFar West
Founded19471899
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationMaster's Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students1.6%3.7%
Men45%46%
Women55%54%
White students23%15%
Black students6.9%6.5%
Hispanic or Latino students38%40%
Asian students21%23%
Two or more races6.3%6.2%
Other / not reported3.5%5%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students49%48%
Part-time students19%18%
Students age 25+21%18%
Spent on teaching per student$8,604/yr$10,604/yr
Endowment$86.3M$175.6M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing3,2804,596
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$8,208/yr$11,277/yr
Meal plan charge$5,696/yr$5,148/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by week19 meals/week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceYes — Army, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoNo
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FCSNCAA Division II without football
Football teamYesNo
Varsity teams1712
Student athletes514260
Athletic scholarships$7.3M$711,845
Athletics budget$46.3M$6.7M
Athletics revenue$46.3M$6.7M
Recruiting spend$291,961$34,225

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.