Skip to content
AlmaSpire

Sacramento, CA · Public · 28,350 undergraduates · urban

California State University-Sacramento

Less selective

Sacramento State's strongest differentiator is direct access to California government alongside business, engineering, education and public-service programs.

Campus image / California State University, Sacramento

Institutional profile

Highly regarded Exceptional in mobility, and exceptional in affordability.
Academic Steady Affordability Exceptional Career Strong Mobility Exceptional Experience Strong
Academic standing Steady
Affordability Exceptional
Career outcomes Strong
Mobility Exceptional
Student experience Strong
Admission
93.6% admitted

25,994 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
72.4%

$64,876 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets California State University-Sacramento apart

Academic design

Public policy, government, business, engineering and education benefit from the university's capital-city location.

Campus pattern

Campus lies along the American River east of downtown Sacramento and the state Capitol.

Career & value signal

State agencies, legislative offices, nonprofits and regional employers create accessible public-sector internships.

Can I get in?

93.6% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

25,994

About 94 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 93.6%
Entering class

Record over scores

No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.

Testingnot considered
Return for a second year81.5%
Finish the degree72.4%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for California State University-Sacramento, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What California State University-Sacramento weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Public policy, government, business, engineering and education benefit from the university's capital-city location.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Sacramento State's strongest differentiator is direct access to California government alongside business, engineering, education and public-service programs.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular DecisionNov 30
Application routeCal State Apply

$70 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Communication and journalismAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Teacher preparationAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$33,496
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$9,000
Affordability profileExceptional

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at California State University-Sacramento

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years72.4%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one81.5%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$64,876

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates636
Median earnings$53,237

Criminal Justice and Corrections

Recent graduates539
Median earnings$62,583

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

Recent graduates416
Median earnings$67,182

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

California State University-Sacramento beyond the classroom

Campus lies along the American River east of downtown Sacramento and the state Capitol.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Public policy, government, business, engineering and education benefit from the university's capital-city location.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Campus lies along the American River east of downtown Sacramento and the state Capitol.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

State agencies, legislative offices, nonprofits and regional employers create accessible public-sector internships.

28,350 undergraduatesPacificurban settingCampus housing available