Public · Fullerton, California

California State University-Fullerton: cost, real price and admissions

Sticker price (2024-25)

$31,998

In-state, on campus

Avg net price (2023-24)

$7,064

After grants

Admitted (Fall 2024)

91%

Admits most applicants

Graduate in 6 yrs

68%

College Scorecard

Sources: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) and College Scorecard · Data last checked 2026-10-22

Overview

California State University-Fullerton is a public institution in Fullerton, California with about 38,546 undergraduate degree-seeking students (College Scorecard). Its published cost of attendance for a first-year student living on campus was $31,998 for in-state students and $44,598 for out-of-state students in 2024-25, while first-year students who received grants paid $7,064 on average in 2023-24. In Fall 2024 it received 53,559 applications and admitted 91% of applicants. 68% of full-time first-time students graduated within six years (College Scorecard).

Overview text is assembled from the federal figures on this page; it contains no claims we could not source.

Type
4-year, Public
Campus setting
Suburb: Large
Campus housing
Yes
Student-to-faculty ratio
26 to 1
Religious affiliation
Not applicable
Total students
43,662 (38,760 undergraduate)
Accreditor
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Source
College Navigator / College Scorecard

Net price, earnings and debt

Average net price per year
$5,115
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$69,015
Median federal debt at completion
$13,594

Four years at the average net price ($20,460) is about 0.30× one year of median earnings.

Earnings and debt cover only students who received federal aid (grants or loans), not every graduate, and include students who did not finish. They describe past students and do not show that a college causes higher or lower earnings: who enrolls, what they study and where they live after all matter. International students are generally not in these figures.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (October 15, 2026 release). Earnings: median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid, measured 10 years after they entered the college (MD_EARN_WNE_P10). Debt: median federal loan debt of undergraduate borrowers who completed (GRAD_DEBT_MDN). Net price: average annual net price for federal aid recipients (NPT4). Compare colleges.

Cost at your income

What families like yours paid

Your family's yearly income

Average net price, $48k–75k (2023-24)

$6,090

About $508 a month, 81% below the $31,998 sticker price

Averages for full-time first-year students who received federal (Title IV) aid and paid in-state tuition. Your price depends on your own finances; use the school's net price calculator for a personal estimate. IPEDS does not publish how many students are in each income band for this figure.

Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24

All income levels at a glance

$0–30k$3,315
$30–48k$4,123
$48–75k$6,090
$75–110k$8,930
$110k+$15,631
Sticker
$31,998
Average net price by family income
Family incomeAvg net priceStudents in band
$0–30k$2,6201,490
$30k–48k$2,878943
$48k–75k$3,8521,007
$75k–110k$6,994531
$110k+$14,753633

College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15), students who received federal (Title IV) aid. Bands with fewer than 30 students are greyed out because one or two students can move the average a lot. Counts: Scorecard fields NUM41–NUM45.

College Scorecard lists an average net price of $5,115 (U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard, most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15), based on a different year and student group. The figures above are from College Navigator, 2023-24.

Get a personal estimate: California State University-Fullerton net price calculator.

Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24

Admissions

91% of applicants admitted

0%50%100% admitted

Admits most applicants

Applicants

53,559

Admitted

91%

Admitted who enrolled

14%

SAT midpoint (Scorecard)

Not reported

Band is our label for the federal admit rate: Most selective under 15%; Very selective 15%–35%; Selective 35%–60%; Moderately selective 60%–85%; Admits most applicants 85%+. It is not a prediction of your chances.

Requirements and test policy: official admissions site.

Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year Fall 2024

Cost of attendance

Where the $31,998 goes

Tuition & fees

$7,470

23%

Housing & food

$19,080

60%

Books & supplies

$1,005

3%

Other expenses

$4,443

14%

Out-of-state students: $44,598 (tuition and fees $20,070).

Sticker price vs. the average grant

Sticker
$31,998
Avg grant−$11,234

78% of full-time first-year students received a grant (2023-24); sticker price is 2024-25.

Sticker price over time

$28,015
2021-22
$27,831
2022-23
$30,640
2023-24
$31,998
2024-25

Change 2021-22 to 2024-25: 14%.

College Scorecard lists a cost of attendance of $17,787 (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15). The figures above are from College Navigator, 2024-25.

Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2021-22 to 2024-25

Financial aid

Who gets aid, and how much

TypeShareAvg
Any grant or scholarship
78%
$11,234
Pell grants
54%
$6,036
Grants from the school
50%
$5,867
State or local grants
68%
$3,596
Federal student loans
24%
$4,791

Full-time first-year undergraduates. School grants combine need-based and merit awards; federal data does not separate them.

Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24

Outcomes

Graduation, debt and earnings

68%

Graduate within 6 years

Full-time, first-time

82%

Return for year two

Full-time first-year students

Median federal debt

$13,594

Graduates; about $144/month over 10 years at 5.5%*

Median earnings

$69,015

10 years after starting

*Illustrative payment on a standard 10-year plan at an assumed 5.5% rate; your rate may differ.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard API (release 2026-10-15) · Data year most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15

Ways to pay

Close the gap

Official links: financial aid · net price calculator · website

FAQ

Common questions

How much does California State University-Fullerton cost per year?

The published cost of attendance for a first-year student living on campus was $31,998 (in-state; $44,598 out-of-state) in 2024-25, according to NCES College Navigator.

What do students actually pay at California State University-Fullerton after aid?

First-year students who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $7,064 in 2023-24. By family income, averages ranged from $3,315 to $15,631.

What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Fullerton?

In Fall 2024, California State University-Fullerton received 53,559 applications and admitted 91% of applicants; 14% of admitted students enrolled.

What is the graduation rate at California State University-Fullerton?

68% of full-time first-time students graduated within six years, per the College Scorecard. Median federal debt for graduates was $13,594.

Sources & method

Data last checked 2026-10-22. Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education sources below, with the data year shown next to it; nothing is estimated. Where federal tools disagree, we show both. Data on this page is licensed CC BY 4.0.

We don't sell student data. Nothing on this page asks for your information.

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