Regional university
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $9,338 a year
Median debt at graduation: $15,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.56%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.24 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,604
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $22,945 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 28,268 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 45% · Women 55% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 49% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 1% |
| Total students | 31,172 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $9,338 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $22,945 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $15,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 56% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 64% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 63% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 66% |
| First-year retention | 82% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,876 |
| Admission rate | 94% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $70 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,832 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 49% |
Value: Exceptional · Top 2% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Construction Engineering | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Secondary education | |
| Geography | |
| Chemistry | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Economics | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Business administration | |
| Health sciences | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Philosophy | |
| Physics | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Biology | |
| Interior Architecture | |
| Gerontology | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Mathematics | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | |
| Social work | |
| Sociology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Social sciences | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | |
| History | |
| Special education | |
| Design | |
| Psychology | |
| Journalism | |
| Romance languages | |
| English | |
| Family and human development | |
| Anthropology | |
| Theatre | |
| Music | |
| Film and video | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Apparel and Textiles, Area studies, Computing and information science, Construction Engineering Technology/Technician, Dance, Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Interdisciplinary studies, Nutrition Sciences, Public health, Teacher education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Criminal justice and security |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 19% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 21% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,174 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big Sky Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 24 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 3%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 49%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $2,781IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 12% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Sacramento International Airport (SMF)About 13 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Town population | 528,706Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | SacramentoIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 49°F in January · 78°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Sacramento 5 Ese, CA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.34 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.16 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.53 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.72 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is California State University-Sacramento’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). It ranks in the top 43% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does California State University-Sacramento cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $9,338 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into California State University-Sacramento?
- California State University-Sacramento admitted 94% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do California State University-Sacramento’s graduates do?
- 56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $64,876; the median federal debt at graduation is $15,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110617
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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