California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, California · Public · 90.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 88/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
CSU Fullerton scores 88 (Strong Value) on the CampusROI scale and has an earnings premium score of 98, reflecting a 106.6% wage premium over non-college earnings - graduates earn more than double the benchmark without a degree. Nursing leads program earnings: 333 graduates, $103,028 year-one, A-grade ROI. Civil Engineering (84 graduates, $72,606 year-one, A-grade) and Electrical Engineering (66 graduates, $63,468 year-one, A-grade) anchor STEM. Computer Science (371 graduates, $57,307 year-one, B+ grade) provides high-volume STEM value. Business Administration is the largest program at 2,134 graduates with $48,256 year-one earnings at B+ grade. At $7,470 in-state tuition, CSUF is a case study in public university value for California residents - especially for students in STEM, nursing, and business.
California State University-Fullerton scores in the top 7% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
California State University-Fullerton
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,470/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,070/yr |
| Average net price | $6,555/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $26,220 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,951 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $146 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 38,546 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $7,470/year ($20,070/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $6,555/year, or roughly $26,220 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $3,315/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,631/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $13,750, which works out to about $146 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,500) and comes to 0.36, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $3,315 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,123 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,090 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $8,930 |
| $110,001+ | $15,631 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $3,315 per year - $13,260 over four years. Nursing graduates earning $103,028 year-one recover total four-year investment in about seven weeks of employment. Even for lower-earning programs, CSUF's price for low-income students creates a financial floor that is hard to undercut.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $6,090 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $8,930 per year. At these price levels - $35,720 total for the upper-middle bracket - CSUF's B+ and A-grade programs in business, CS, and engineering are strong financial values.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $15,631 per year - $62,524 over four years. Even at this higher net price, CSUF remains competitive on value for STEM and nursing. Electrical Engineering's $92,618 four-year earnings recovers $62,524 in under nine months of employment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at California State University-Fullerton with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,646 | B+ |
| Psychology | $51,661 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $58,082 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $51,787 | C |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,365 | D |
| Teacher Education | $28,933 | C+ |
| Computer Science | $87,460 | B+ |
| Sociology | $50,922 | B |
| Public Health | $34,909 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,135 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is CSUF's top-earning program: 333 graduates, $103,028 year-one earnings, $119,353 year-four, median debt $17,375, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.169 (ROI grade A). At $17,375 median debt, the payback period is under two months of post-graduation nursing income.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering (84 graduates) earns $72,606 at year one and $95,854 at year four with median debt of $13,548 and a 0.187 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade A). A-grade ROI for civil engineering at $6,555 annual net price is exceptional value.
Computer Science
Computer Science produces 371 graduates earning $57,307 at year one and $87,460 at year four, with $16,500 median debt and a 0.288 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B+). At $26,220 total four-year net cost, CS at CSUF is a financially rational option for students pursuing technology careers. Year-four earnings of $87,460 from a program costing $16,500 in debt is a compelling economic case.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program at 2,134 graduates, with $48,256 year-one and $71,646 four-year earnings. Median debt $14,000, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.290 (ROI grade B+). A B+ outcome for a business program at $6,555 annual net cost is strong value. Fullerton's business school, which feeds into the Los Angeles and Orange County job markets, delivers competitive outcomes relative to private business schools at three to five times the cost.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering (66 graduates) earns $63,468 at year one and $92,618 at year four with $15,054 median debt and a 0.237 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade A). A-grade ROI sits alongside A-grade Civil and A-grade Nursing at CSUF. At the California State price point, EE graduates achieve near-private-university earnings with a fraction of the debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 72.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How California State University-Fullerton’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 90.5% |
| Enrollment | 38,546 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,295 |
No test score data is published. Admission is not the enrollment question - the question is whether a student will complete. With a 70.2% completion rate, there is a meaningful gap between enrollment and graduation. Prospective students should ask about program-specific academic support and success rates, particularly in nursing and engineering where admission to the major program is a separate and more competitive step.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Fullerton (this school) | 88 | $6,555 | $62,951 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 96 | $16,665 | $90,768 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 88 | $16,778 | $69,020 |
| George Mason University | 86 | $17,915 | $76,343 |
| University of Utah | 84 | $16,200 | $67,170 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 75 | $5,652 | $59,009 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See California State University-Fullerton side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
CSUF enrolls 38,546 undergraduates in Fullerton, California, serving Orange County's working and commuter student population. The Pell grant rate of 48.1% reflects substantial lower- and middle-income enrollment. No SAT or ACT data is reported for the admitted class. CSUF is effectively test-optional with a broad access mission. Students who are self-directed and willing to navigate a large commuter campus will find strong program resources. Students who want a residential, traditional college experience will find CSUF's infrastructure less oriented toward that.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, California State University-Fullerton pays off. You'd pay about $6,555 a year after aid ($26,220 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $62,951 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.9 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 70.2% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $13,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
California State University-Fullerton: Common Questions
Is California State University-Fullerton worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students California State University-Fullerton pays off. It scores 88/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $6,555 a year after aid ($26,220 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $62,951 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.9 years to earn back.
How much does California State University-Fullerton cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $6,555 a year, or roughly $26,220 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do California State University-Fullerton graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $62,951 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,151 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off California State University-Fullerton?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.9 years for California State University-Fullerton. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do California State University-Fullerton graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $13,750, against average earnings of $38,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Fullerton?
The six-year graduation rate is 70.2%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.