California State University-Sacramento — College Profile

About

California State University, Sacramento (Sac State) leverages its prime location in the state capital to provide students with exceptional internship and career access in public policy, government, and business. The university is best known for its top-performing programs in Nursing, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Engineering, delivering practical, career-focused education to a diverse student body. Campus life offers an energetic atmosphere with NCAA Division I athletics, active student organizations, and popular outdoor recreation along the adjacent American River. Sac State uniquely sets itself apart as an official "Tree Campus USA" featuring over 3,500 trees, creating a park-like oasis just minutes from the epicenter of California politics.

Wikipedia:California State University, Sacramento is a public university in Sacramento, California, United States. Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, it is part of the California State University system.

Location

Sacramento, CA, 95819-2694 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

SMF · Sacramento

13 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$8,018$20,618

Housing & food (on campus)$19,174$19,174

Books & supplies$1,160$1,160

Cost of attendance$22,945$35,545 est.

Average net price$9,338Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$20,618

In-state: $8,018

Housing & food (on campus)$19,174

Books & supplies$1,160

Cost of attendance$35,545 est.

In-state: $22,945

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $9,338

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$6,501

$30–48k

$7,001

$48–75k

$9,212

$75–110k

$11,814

$110k+

$18,861

Your family's actual price → California State University-Sacramento net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2025-26

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$1,013

Share of first-years who get oneunder 1%

Source: California State University-Sacramento's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

56%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

28%

Back for yr 2

82%

Transferred

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

61% graduated · 25% transferred · 2% still enrolled · 12% left or unknown

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$51,074

10 yrs after entry$64,876

Debt

Median at graduation$15,000

Monthly payment$159

Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$22.5k

90th percentile$31,000

Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (larger programs): 54% graduate within 6 yrs, $55,177 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

94%

Test policy

Not required

Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

How much essays count at California State University-Sacramento: Not considered (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)

Source: California State University-Sacramento's Common Data Set for 2025-26 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If California State University-Sacramento asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body

Gender

Men 45%Women 55%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

24 : 1

Pell grant

49%

First-gen

49%

Family income

$27,217

Independent

31%

Veterans

Age at entry

23.0

Part-time

19%

Race & ethnicity

White

23%

Hispanic

38%

Black

Asian

21%

Two or more

Non-resident

NH/PI

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Beach Volleyball
Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Gymnastics
Women's
Rowing
Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$51,074

After 10 yrs

$64,876

Business Administration, Management and Operations1005

Psychology, General636

Criminal Justice and Corrections539

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods424

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General416

Communication and Media Studies400

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness318

Biology, General307

Sociology301

Computer Science267

Social Work186

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing181

Mechanical Engineering180

Political Science and Government172

Public Health171

Economics167

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$86M

Full-time faculty

49%

Faculty salary

$11,717/mo

Teaching spend

$8,604

per student

Federal loans

23%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (larger programs)

Research activity

Research college or university

$34M research spending · 20 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, inclusive admissions