California State University-Fullerton

www.fullerton.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

2023 Average Net Price

$6,283

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0162%

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

86.7%

48,591 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

41,962

76.1% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

69.2%

2,980 Graduates

About

California State University-Fullerton is a higher education institution located in Orange County, CA. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at California State University-Fullerton were General Business Administration & Management (2,134 degrees awarded), General Psychology (992 degrees), and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (647 degrees).

In 2023, 10,903 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at California State University-Fullerton. 60.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (5,002 degrees), 2.04 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2,456 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at California State University-Fullerton is $5,742, which is $−25,261 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at California State University-Fullerton was 0.0162%, corresponding to 1 out of the 6,164 total borrowers.

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at California State University-Fullerton is $5,742, which is $25,262 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $6,283.

In 2023, 69% of undergraduate students attending California State University-Fullerton received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 22% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at California State University-Fullerton was $5,742. The cost of tuition at California State University-Fullerton is $−25,262 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of California State University-Fullerton (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$6,283

2023 Value

20.7%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 California State University-Fullerton had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,283. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of California State University-Fullerton grew by 20.7%.

This chart compares the average net price of California State University-Fullerton (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,396

Room and Board

$1,080

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at California State University-Fullerton was of $16,396 in 2023. The cost of room and board decreased by 2.99% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,080. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 10.2% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at California State University-Fullerton (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

69%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

22%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

69% of undergraduate students at California State University-Fullerton received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 1.47% with respect to 2022, when 68% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at California State University-Fullerton (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0162%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at California State University-Fullerton was 0.0162%, which represents 1 out of the 6164 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

California State University-Fullerton received 48,591 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 0.322% annual growth. Out of those 48,591 applicants, 42,149 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 86.7% acceptance rate.

There were 41,962 students enrolled at California State University-Fullerton in 2023. 97% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

California State University-Fullerton has an overall enrollment yield of 16.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

86.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

42,149

Accepted Out of 48,591

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of California State University-Fullerton was 86.7% (42,149 admissions from 48,591 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 66.7%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 0.322%, while admissions grew by 29.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of California State University-Fullerton (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

97%

Submission Percentage (2020)

5,251

Scores Submitted (2020)

97% of enrolled first-time students at California State University-Fullerton in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

California State University-Fullerton had a total enrollment of 41,962 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at California State University-Fullerton is 31,948 students and the part-time enrollment is 10,014. This means that 76.1% of students enrolled at California State University-Fullerton are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at California State University-Fullerton, both undergraduate and graduate, is 52.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21% Asian, 15.2% White, 3.58% Two or More Races, 2.46% Black or African American, 0.155% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.107% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at California State University-Fullerton in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (33.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (20.2%) and Asian Female (11.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (26%), followed by White Female (15%) and Asian Female (10.7%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

76.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at California State University-Fullerton in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41,962 students. The full-time enrollment at California State University-Fullerton is 31,948 and the part-time enrollment is 10,014. This means that 76.1% of students enrolled at California State University-Fullerton are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at California State University-Fullerton (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

85%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at California State University-Fullerton was 85%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), California State University-Fullerton had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at California State University-Fullerton (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

Hispanic or Latino
21,930 enrolled students
Asian
8,795 enrolled students
White
6,379 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at California State University-Fullerton is 52.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21% Asian, 15.2% White, 3.58% Two or More Races, 2.46% Black or African American, 0.155% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.107% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,053 students (2.51%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 2,317 more women than men received degrees from California State University-Fullerton. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at California State University-Fullerton is hispanic or latino (5,002 degrees awarded). There were 2.04 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2,456 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at California State University-Fullerton is General Business Administration & Management (2,134 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (992 degrees) and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (647 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at California State University-Fullerton, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (565 degrees awarded), Communications (836 degrees), and Psychology (1,028 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California State University-Fullerton are Other managers (361,349 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (323,426 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (210,110 people), Postsecondary teachers (185,568 people), and Secondary school teachers (180,396 people).

The most specialized majors at California State University-Fullerton in 2023 are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (565 degrees awarded), Communications (836 degrees), Psychology (1,028 degrees), Visual & Performing Arts (671 degrees), and History (138 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California State University-Fullerton are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at California State University-Fullerton are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (565 degrees awarded), Communications (836 degrees), Psychology (1,028 degrees), Visual & Performing Arts (671 degrees), and History (138 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California State University-Fullerton are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by California State University-Fullerton.

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
2,134 degrees awarded
General Psychology
992 degrees awarded
Speech Communication & Rhetoric
647 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at California State University-Fullerton was General Business Administration & Management with 2,134 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at California State University-Fullerton according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,293

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

6,610

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 4,293 degrees were awarded to men at California State University-Fullerton, which is 0.649 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (6,610).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at California State University-Fullerton by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 1,245 degrees were awarded to men at California State University-Fullerton in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.22 times more than the 1,017 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 1,017 degrees were awarded to men at California State University-Fullerton in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.817 times less than the 1,245 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

29%

100% Completion Time

71%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 29% of students graduating from California State University-Fullerton completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 71% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 76% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at California State University-Fullerton is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.15% of graduates (64 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

Hispanic or Latino
5,002 degrees awarded
Asian
2,456 degrees awarded
White
2,119 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at California State University-Fullerton is hispanic or latino (5,002 degrees awarded). There were 2.04 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2,456 degrees).

2.82% of degree recipients (307 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

Hispanic or Latino Female
3,249 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Male
1,753 degrees awarded
Asian Female
1,396 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at California State University-Fullerton is hispanic or latino female (3,249 degrees awarded). There were 1.85 times more hispanic or latino female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino male (1,753 degrees).

Operations

California State University-Fullerton has an endowment valued at nearly $131M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 9.98M (7.62%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, California State University-Fullerton had a total salary expenditure of 718M. California State University-Fullerton employs 372 Professors, 281 Lecturers and 246 Associate professors. Most academics at California State University-Fullerton are Male Professor (206), Female Lecturer (169), and Female Professor (166).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at California State University-Fullerton are: Business and Financial Operations, with 377 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 339 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 279 employees.

Endowment

$131M

2023 Endowment

4.56%

growth from 2022

California State University-Fullerton has an endowment valued at about $131M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of California State University-Fullerton grew 4.56% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $303M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at California State University-Fullerton (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$261M

2023 Salaries

7.11%

growth from 2022

In 2023, California State University-Fullerton paid a median of $261M in salaries, which represents 36.3% of their overall expenditure ($718M) and a 7.11% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.55% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 4.33% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$107M

Instructional Salaries

1,054

Number of Employees

In 2023, California State University-Fullerton paid a total of $107M to 1,054 employees working as instructors, which represents 41.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

372 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

377 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at California State University-Fullerton were Professor with 372 employees, Lecturer with 281 employees, and Associate professor with 246 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at California State University-Fullerton were Business and Financial Operations with 377 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 339 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 279 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Lecturer
Female Professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at California State University-Fullerton was Male Professor with 206 employees, Female Lecturer with 169 employees, and Female Professor with 166 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at California State University-Fullerton.

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