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CSU Acceptance Rates –
California has a public university system known as the California State University system, which comprises 23 campuses throughout the state. Every year, over 400,000 students are enrolled across these campuses, but it is not feasible for the system to accept all applicants. Despite this, the California State University system offers an affordable option for earning a degree in the state, and graduates tend to have a lower percentage of student debt.
This article contains the the acceptance rates for each CSU campus and reviewed the hardest and easiest CSU schools to enter.
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What is CSU Acceptance Rates?
The admission data for fall 2021 reveals that 164,477 first-time freshman were admitted to the CSU, resulting in an acceptance rate of 91.9%, out of a total of 180,771 applications received. It is worth noting that public universities in the US generally give preference to in-state applicants, and the CSU is no exception. In-state students had a higher acceptance rate of 93% with a yield of 38%, while non-residents were less selective with a 78% acceptance rate and a yield of 25%.
It’s possible that you didn’t notice our emphasis on first-year students, but that’s because over half of CSU’s student population enters through this route. However, we will now shift our attention to students who transfer from community colleges to CSU. Across its 23 campuses, California State University has an 85% acceptance rate for transfer students. Of those admitted, it’s anticipated that approximately 61% will accept the offer of admission.
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Below is a Table Showing CSU system acceptance rates for each campus
| Campus | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 85% |
| Channel Islands | 93% |
| Chico | 85% |
| Dominguez Hills | 90% |
| East Bay | 82% |
| Fresno | 97% |
| Fullerton | 59% |
| Humboldt | 91% |
| Long Beach | 47% |
| Los Angeles | 91% |
| Maritime Academy | 82% |
| Monterey Bay | 93% |
| Northridge | 88% |
| Pomona | 61% |
| Sacramento | 94% |
| San Bernardino | 91% |
| San Diego | 38% |
| San Francisco | 93% |
| San Jose | 84% |
| San Luis Obispo | 33% |
| San Marcos | 93% |
| Sonoma | 94% |
| Stanislaus | 95% |
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It’s important to note that certain majors are more fiercely competitive than others, known as impacted majors. Some of the impacted majors at CalState include:
- Finance
- Health Sciences
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Biological sciences
- Business administration
- Psychology
- Social work
- Software engineering
- Computer engineering
- Computer science
- Criminal justice
- Nursing
- Electrical engineering
- Kinesiology
- Mechanotrics
- Mechanical engineering
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Easiest California State University to Get into
1. California State University, Fresno
With an impressive acceptance rate of 97% and a yield of 22%, Fresno State is considered the most accessible CSU to enroll in. Additionally, it stands out as the most affordable campus in the California State University system.
On average, students accepted into CSU Fresno possess a secondary school GPA of 3.49, and the university does not follow a waiting list policy. However, since it is primarily a commuter campus, students at Fresno State may not have the same level of campus culture as other universities.
2. California State University, Stanislaus
In contrast to CSU Fresno, Cal State Stanislaus is far from dull, and its intimate classroom settings facilitate social connections amongst students. Achieving admission to Stan State as a Warrior is not an overly challenging feat for most individuals, given its high acceptance rate of 95%. It’s noteworthy that Stan State has been consistently ranked as one of the top 20 universities in the United States for veterans. Furthermore, it is the sole campus within the university system that offers a BS degree in Cognitive Studies. Students admitted to this institution typically possess a secondary school GPA of 3.36.
3. California State University, Sacramento
The final institution on this list is CSU Sacramento, which was previously known as Sacramento State College. Admitted students to this school typically possess a secondary school GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, and the institution has a selectivity rate of 94%.
While it may be deemed highly accessible for in-state students, CSUS maintains a moderate level of selectivity for out-of-state or international applicants. The university is located in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, and this is reflected in the diverse makeup of its student body.
The aforementioned list of accessible CSU institutions is not exhaustive, as there are still several other campuses within the California State University system that maintain a less competitive admissions process. San Francisco State University serves as an example, with an admission rate of 93%.
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Hardest California State University to Get into
Below are top 3 CSU that are the hardest to get into
1. California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly SLO has been identified as the most challenging CSU campus to gain admission to, with an acceptance rate of 29.3% for fall 2022. Additionally, it has established a reputation as one of the top public universities in the Western United States at the Master’s level.
Students admitted to Cal Poly SLO typically possess an impressive secondary school GPA of 4.17. Given the campus’s high level of demand, its more than 60 majors are highly competitive. However, students can take advantage of excellent recruitment opportunities, and the climate in the area is pleasant.
2. San Diego State University
The university is also referred to as SDSU, CSU San Diego maintains a reputation as the second most selective campus in the California State University system, with an acceptance rate of 38% and a yield of 20%. First-year students who are admitted into SDSU typically possess an average GPA of 3.81.
This picturesque public research university is situated on the Pacific coast of California and annually receives more than 60,000 applications from prospective freshmen. Notably, San Diego State University is the oldest higher education institution in San Diego, and its student population exceeds 35,000.
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3. California State University, Long Beach
Out of the 23 campuses in the Cal State University system, Long Beach State stands out for having one of the most diverse student populations. Despite having an admission rate of 46.9% and a yield rate of 15.5%, gaining admission to this university is no easy feat.
As a commuter school, over 90% of its admitted students choose to live off-campus, which may be advantageous for individuals who identify as introverted. The majority of students who apply to CSU Long Beach opt for majors in the College of Health and Human Services, followed by the Liberal Arts.
