Cal State Fullerton vs Towson

California State University-Fullerton and Towson University, both esteemed public universities, offer distinct educational experiences. CSU-Fullerton, nestled in the vibrant city of Fullerton, California, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while Towson University, located in the historic city of Towson, Maryland, prides itself on its strong liberal arts foundation and commitment to community engagement. With CSU-Fullerton's higher acceptance rate and Towson University's slightly smaller student body, both institutions provide a welcoming and supportive environment for students to thrive. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.
California State University-Fullerton logo

California State University-Fullerton

Towson University logo

Towson University

Overview

Location Fullerton, California Towson, Maryland
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
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 87.0% 85.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 59.4% 87.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A 1040 - 1220
ACT range N/A 21 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 28.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0%
Total number of applicants 45,140 11,616
Total number of admissions given out 26,827 10,213
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,219 2,592
Yield rate 15.7% 25.4%
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 Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,282

Out of state: $42,162
In state: $28,126

Out of state: $43,178
Average net price $4,939 $11,076
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $7,100

Out of state: $22,152
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $12,918

Meal plan: $4,374
Room/dormitory: $7,632

Meal plan: $6,650
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

74.0%
Average amount $9,215
73.0%
Average amount $9,261
Students receiving federal student loan 17.0%
Average amount $4,700
42.0%
Average amount $5,098
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $11,380
5.0%
Average amount $15,576

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 35,600
Men 41.2% Women 58.8%
17,907
Men 40.5% Women 59.5%
Graduate students 5,138
Men 36.8% Women 63.2%
2,949
Men 22.9% Women 77.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 0.9% 10.6%
International students 4.9% 1.7%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 2,045 5,351
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas Hawaii Illinois Arizona Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Virginia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 25:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 71.5% 72.3%
Dropout rate 21.3% 6.8%
Transferred out 1.8% 18.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $145,938
  • Year 2: $157,680
  • Year 3: $165,916
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $138,162
  • Year 2: $114,595
  • Year 3: $130,592
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $113,642
  • Year 2: $110,241
  • Year 3: $114,173
Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,293
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $97,266
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,611
  • Year 2: $86,042
  • Year 3: $94,651
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,934
  • Year 2: $80,779
  • Year 3: $90,936
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,382
  • Year 2: $78,971
  • Year 3: $89,837
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,840
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $81,048
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,980
  • Year 2: $76,325
  • Year 3: $79,512
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,145
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $78,803
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,447
  • Year 2: $107,906
  • Year 3: $122,885
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $73,340
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $94,047
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,795
  • Year 2: $83,768
  • Year 3: $85,948
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $85,262
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,242
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $79,355
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,719
  • Year 2: $66,984
  • Year 3: $69,964
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,483
  • Year 2: $63,666
  • Year 3: $68,130
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,907
  • Year 2: $67,156
  • Year 3: $67,633
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $66,692
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,389
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $65,981

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