California State University-Sacramento
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Sacramento, California
Net price / year
$9,338
after grants & scholarships
lower than 76% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
94%
Graduation rate
56%
within 150% of normal time
higher than 69% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$64,511
4 years after graduating
higher than 69% of public 4-year colleges
California State University-Sacramento at a glance
- What is the tuition at California State University-Sacramento?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $8,018 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $20,618 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at California State University-Sacramento?
- The average cost of attendance is $22,945 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at California State University-Sacramento?
- The average net price for in-state students is $9,338 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Sacramento?
- About 94% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is California State University-Sacramento test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at California State University-Sacramento?
- 56% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of California State University-Sacramento earn?
- The median graduate earns $64,511 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.4 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- At $9,338 a year, the average net price is lower than 76% of public 4-year colleges.
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $6,501 a year on average, versus $18,861 for families earning over $110,000.
- The school admits 94% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.
- One year into repayment, 20% of federal-loan borrowers had paid in full or were making progress on their balance (9,884 borrowers).
Tuition and cost of attendance at California State University-Sacramento
Average net price (in-state)
$9,338 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the California State University-Sacramento net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$37,352
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $6,501
- $30–48k $7,001
- $48–75k $9,212
- $75–110k $11,814
- $110k+ $18,861
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $22,945
- Tuition & fees$8,018
- Books & supplies$1,160
- Room & board$19,174
- Other expenses$4,904
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $8,018
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $20,618
California State University-Sacramento acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from California State University-Sacramento
Graduation rate
56%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
81%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$159
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
1.4 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.2×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 3%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 56%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $43,257 · median $64,876 · 75th percentile $89,789
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
How borrowers are doing
One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 9,884 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.
Repayment status one year after entering repayment
- Paid in full 10%
- Making progress 10%
- Not making progress 9%
- Delinquent 2%
- Default 0%
- Forbearance 55%
- Deferment 13%
- Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
- Paid in full:
- The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
- Making progress:
- Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
- Not making progress:
- The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
- Delinquent:
- Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
- Default:
- The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
- Forbearance:
- Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
- Deferment:
- Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
- Discharged:
- The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.
9,884 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at California State University-Sacramento ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's · Graduates: 277 | $129,960 | 1 yr$116,0014 yrs$129,9605 yrs$138,606 | U.S. median $88,910 U.S. middle half $67.9K–$114.5K · Above the U.S. median | $13,750 |
| Construction Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 64 | $114,594 | 1 yr$90,8364 yrs$114,5945 yrs$127,606 | U.S. median $97,303 U.S. middle half $80.1K–$115.8K · Above the U.S. median | $14,514 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 66 | $104,394 | 1 yr$66,2664 yrs$104,3945 yrs$107,734 | U.S. median $109,015 U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Below the U.S. median | $17,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's · Graduates: 116 | $103,512 | 1 yr$74,4504 yrs$103,5125 yrs$106,616 | U.S. median $100,647 U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 197 | $93,973 | 1 yr$71,3424 yrs$93,9735 yrs$95,595 | U.S. median $86,517 U.S. middle half $73.9K–$101.2K · Above the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 245 | $93,878 | 1 yr$66,4624 yrs$93,8785 yrs$91,357 | U.S. median $92,135 U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Above the U.S. median | $16,532 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 257 | $92,519 | 1 yr$60,0284 yrs$92,5195 yrs$108,027 | U.S. median $107,009 U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Below the U.S. median | $15,004 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Bachelor's · Graduates: 21 Small sample | $82,062 | — | U.S. median $51,389 U.S. middle half $40.5K–$63.1K · Above the U.S. median | — |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $75,234 | 1 yr$48,2274 yrs$75,2345 yrs$66,360 | U.S. median $57,853 U.S. middle half $42.5K–$75.6K · Above the U.S. median | $15,974 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 23 Small sample | $74,430 | 1 yr$42,5814 yrs$74,4305 yrs$72,393 | U.S. median $65,120 U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Above the U.S. median | $26,263 |
Show all 47 programs
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Bachelor's · Graduates: 32 | $73,418 | 4 yrs$73,4185 yrs$81,480 | U.S. median $60,190 U.S. middle half $44.3K–$77.6K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 203 | $70,290 | 1 yr$49,3124 yrs$70,2905 yrs$67,897 | U.S. median $82,686 U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Below the U.S. median | $15,493 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's · Graduates: 75 | $67,795 | 1 yr$37,3084 yrs$67,7955 yrs$71,352 | U.S. median $55,012 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$72.8K · Above the U.S. median | $20,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's · Graduates: 1,217 | $67,636 | 1 yr$48,4924 yrs$67,6365 yrs$68,332 | U.S. median $68,257 U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Below the U.S. median | $13,490 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 178 | $67,182 | 1 yr$44,1624 yrs$67,1825 yrs$66,096 | U.S. median $61,296 U.S. middle half $42.8K–$82.3K · Above the U.S. median | $14,979 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's · Graduates: 35 | $66,885 | 1 yr$46,6894 yrs$66,885 | U.S. median $65,466 U.S. middle half $44.9K–$88.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 27 Small sample | $65,115 | 1 yr$29,3264 yrs$65,1155 yrs$37,380 | U.S. median $54,455 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$78K · Above the U.S. median | $14,753 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 17 Small sample | $64,133 | — | U.S. median $76,786 U.S. middle half $51.8K–$102.9K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 183 | $63,013 | 1 yr$22,9154 yrs$63,0135 yrs$62,467 | U.S. median $58,928 U.S. middle half $45K–$73K · Above the U.S. median | $16,250 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's · Graduates: 532 | $62,583 | 1 yr$38,6064 yrs$62,5835 yrs$63,820 | U.S. median $55,378 U.S. middle half $40.2K–$74.4K · Above the U.S. median | $13,138 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 215 | $61,775 | 1 yr$37,1924 yrs$61,7755 yrs$67,859 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median | $14,900 |
| Interior Architecture Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample | $61,410 | 1 yr$50,1084 yrs$61,4105 yrs$67,938 | U.S. median $60,369 U.S. middle half $47.9K–$72.3K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Gerontology Bachelor's · Graduates: 59 | $60,868 | 1 yr$38,4614 yrs$60,8685 yrs$61,963 | U.S. median $54,051 U.S. middle half $39.4K–$71.8K · Above the U.S. median | $19,831 |
| Political Science and Government Bachelor's · Graduates: 180 | $60,278 | 1 yr$36,1894 yrs$60,2785 yrs$66,718 | U.S. median $63,293 U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Below the U.S. median | $15,850 |
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 601 | $59,404 | 1 yr$39,3044 yrs$59,4045 yrs$63,101 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 60 | $59,162 | 1 yr$30,8514 yrs$59,1625 yrs$63,062 | U.S. median $69,562 U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Below the U.S. median | $16,716 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's · Graduates: 281 | $59,142 | 1 yr$31,9014 yrs$59,1425 yrs$61,913 | U.S. median $54,562 U.S. middle half $39K–$73K · Above the U.S. median | $17,000 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 108 | $59,041 | 1 yr$40,3384 yrs$59,0415 yrs$60,227 | U.S. median $50,983 U.S. middle half $37.1K–$67.2K · Above the U.S. median | $19,181 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 294 | $58,280 | 1 yr$37,2904 yrs$58,2805 yrs$56,867 | U.S. median $51,790 U.S. middle half $39.2K–$64.2K · Above the U.S. median | $16,750 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 285 | $56,886 | 1 yr$37,0404 yrs$56,8865 yrs$58,159 | U.S. median $52,657 U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median | $14,975 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's · Graduates: 197 | $56,637 | 1 yr$30,2864 yrs$56,6375 yrs$55,823 | U.S. median $53,072 U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 44 | $56,363 | 1 yr$39,0614 yrs$56,3635 yrs$57,162 | U.S. median $53,366 U.S. middle half $36.6K–$72.3K · Above the U.S. median | $16,097 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 64 | $56,188 | 1 yr$30,6284 yrs$56,1885 yrs$52,252 | U.S. median $51,710 U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 261 | $55,830 | 1 yr$33,8694 yrs$55,8305 yrs$58,232 | U.S. median $48,460 U.S. middle half $34.7K–$63K · Above the U.S. median | $13,750 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 115 | $55,797 | 1 yr$32,5964 yrs$55,7975 yrs$57,550 | U.S. median $50,680 U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median | $18,471 |
| Special Education and Teaching Bachelor's · Graduates: 42 | $55,146 | 1 yr$33,7834 yrs$55,1465 yrs$42,702 | U.S. median $50,499 U.S. middle half $41.4K–$60.1K · Above the U.S. median | $16,500 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 41 | $53,871 | 1 yr$32,2404 yrs$53,8715 yrs$56,723 | U.S. median $51,490 U.S. middle half $33K–$70.6K · Above the U.S. median | $15,750 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 504 | $53,237 | 1 yr$32,6034 yrs$53,2375 yrs$55,115 | U.S. median $50,706 U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 32 | $53,145 | 1 yr$30,6444 yrs$53,1455 yrs$56,697 | U.S. median $56,278 U.S. middle half $40.6K–$73.9K · Below the U.S. median | $20,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's · Graduates: 34 | $52,028 | 1 yr$34,1174 yrs$52,0285 yrs$53,378 | U.S. median $55,000 U.S. middle half $38.4K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median | $18,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 159 | $50,680 | 1 yr$32,5314 yrs$50,6805 yrs$51,013 | U.S. median $48,590 U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Above the U.S. median | $15,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Bachelor's · Graduates: 480 | $49,847 | 1 yr$31,9504 yrs$49,8475 yrs$51,711 | U.S. median $48,568 U.S. middle half $35.1K–$62.7K · Above the U.S. median | $15,625 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 44 | $48,367 | 1 yr$32,4604 yrs$48,3675 yrs$48,680 | U.S. median $46,676 U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Above the U.S. median | $18,750 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's · Graduates: 16 Small sample | $47,676 | 1 yr$23,0004 yrs$47,6765 yrs$34,162 | U.S. median $39,775 U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Above the U.S. median | $16,396 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 42 | $42,774 | 1 yr$25,3914 yrs$42,7745 yrs$32,255 | U.S. median $42,892 U.S. middle half $26K–$58.8K · Below the U.S. median | $19,241 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's · Graduates: 75 | $42,392 | 1 yr$24,6184 yrs$42,3925 yrs$53,310 | U.S. median $43,765 U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Below the U.S. median | $15,568 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 82 | $41,969 | 1 yr$20,2034 yrs$41,9695 yrs$43,739 | U.S. median $41,367 U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Above the U.S. median | $15,173 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 22.5%
- Black or African American 6.9%
- Hispanic or Latino 38.4%
- Asian 20.9%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1%
- Two or more races 6.3%
- U.S. nonresident 1.6%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 2.2%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 45%
- Women 55%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
21%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 28,350
- Part-time students
- 19%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 49%
- Receive federal loans
- 23%
- Students per faculty member
- 24 : 1
- Setting
- City
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Where it ranks
This college appears in the top 50 of these TuitionScope rankings.
Guides worth reading
Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.
More in California
In California
National rankings
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at California State University-Sacramento?
For the 2024-25 academic year, California State University-Sacramento reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $8,018 for in-state students and $20,618 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at California State University-Sacramento?
The average cost of attendance at California State University-Sacramento is $22,945 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $9,338 a year. That is lower than 76% of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at California State University-Sacramento get?
49% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 23% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $6,501 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $18,861 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Sacramento?
California State University-Sacramento admitted about 94% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at California State University-Sacramento?
56% of first-time, full-time students at California State University-Sacramento finish within 150% of normal time. 81% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do California State University-Sacramento graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $64,511 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $42,434.
Is California State University-Sacramento worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For California State University-Sacramento, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.4 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $15,000, about 0.2 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 56% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do California State University-Sacramento graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $15,000, or about $159 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things