California State University, Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton logo
#890 / #258
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#1441
Most Desirable School
Public university in Fullerton, California, United States, part of the California State University system

California State University, Fullerton at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#258
Acceptance rate (fall 2024)
91%
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$7,952
Graduation rate
68%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
38,546

Reviewed by , Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error

California State University, Fullerton Featured Rankings

About California State University, Fullerton

According to Wikipedia, California State University, Fullerton is a public research university in Fullerton, California. With a total enrollment of more than 41,000, it has the largest student body of the California State University system, and its graduate student body of more than 5,000 is one of the largest in the CSU and in all of California. As of fall 2016, the school had 2,083 faculty, of whom 782 were on the tenure track. The university offers 109 degree programs: 55 undergraduate degrees and 54 graduate degrees, including 3 doctoral programs.

California State University, Fullerton's Online Degrees

BA in Business Administration
  • Required Credits: 54
  • Completion Time: 4-5 years
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Data Science
  • Required Credits: 5 courses
  • Completion Time: 5 courses
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Digital Marketing
  • Required Credits: 6 courses
  • Completion Time: 6 courses
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Human Resources Management
  • Required Credits: 3 courses
  • Completion Time: 3 courses
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Professional Fiduciary Management
Degree Concentrations
  • Courses for Conservators
  • Courses for Trustees
  • Required Credits: 4 courses
  • Completion Time: 4 courses
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Computer Forensics - Digital and Mobile
  • Required Credits: 5 courses
  • Completion Time: 5 courses
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in User Experience and Customer-Centered Design
  • Required Credits: 6 courses
  • Completion Time: 6 courses
  • Format: Fully online
MS in Information Technology
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: 2-3 years
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Clear Education Specialist Credential
  • Required Credits: 9
  • Completion Time: 1 year or less
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Teacher Induction Program
  • Required Credits: 12
  • Completion Time: 1 year or less
  • Format: Fully online
BA in Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Required Credits: 51
  • Completion Time: 4-5 years
  • Format: Fully online
BA in Sociology
  • Required Credits: 51
  • Completion Time: 4-5 years
  • Format: Fully online
Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
  • Required Credits: 4 courses
  • Completion Time: 4 courses
  • Format: Fully online

California State University, Fullerton Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceRetention RateGraduation Rate
48,59191%82%68%

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.

How Much Does California State University, Fullerton Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$7,952
Average Net Price by Family Income (2024–25)
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$2,620
30K - 48K$2,878
48K - 75K$3,852
75K - 110K$6,994
110K+$14,753

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.

How Much Do California State University, Fullerton Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former California State University, Fullerton students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $69,015 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.

California State University, Fullerton's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
46,63341,1345,499

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is California State University, Fullerton?

California State University, Fullerton is located at 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92832-3599.

How Safe is California State University, Fullerton?

Like every college that receives federal student aid, California State University, Fullerton publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.

Relative to its enrollment, California State University, Fullerton has a violent crime rate of 0.02% and a property crime rate of 0.03%. Fullerton has a violent crime rate of 0.45% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.99%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.

What Is California State University, Fullerton Known For?

California State University, Fullerton is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

California State University, Fullerton's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much California State University, Fullerton's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence

Psychology
#351
World Rank
#372
Historical Rank
#152
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #152 in the U.S. and #351 worldwide for influence in Psychology.

psychology Degrees
Computer Science
#749
World Rank
#752
Historical Rank
#198
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #198 in the U.S. and #749 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.

computer-science Degrees
Anthropology
#647
World Rank
#664
Historical Rank
#209
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #209 in the U.S. and #647 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.

anthropology Degrees
Mathematics
#857
World Rank
#921
Historical Rank
#211
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #211 in the U.S. and #857 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.

math Degrees
Chemistry
#1053
World Rank
#1079
Historical Rank
#223
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #223 in the U.S. and #1053 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.

chemistry Degrees
Engineering
#1320
World Rank
#1345
Historical Rank
#237
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #237 in the U.S. and #1320 worldwide for influence in Engineering.

engineering Degrees
History
#697
World Rank
#718
Historical Rank
#247
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #247 in the U.S. and #697 worldwide for influence in History.

history Degrees
Communications
#903
World Rank
#933
Historical Rank
#253
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #253 in the U.S. and #903 worldwide for influence in Communications.

communications Degrees
Earth Sciences
#1086
World Rank
#1103
Historical Rank
#254
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #254 in the U.S. and #1086 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.

earth-science Degrees
Nursing
#707
World Rank
#707
Historical Rank
#259
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #259 in the U.S. and #707 worldwide for influence in Nursing.

nursing Degrees
Sociology
#956
World Rank
#964
Historical Rank
#263
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #263 in the U.S. and #956 worldwide for influence in Sociology.

sociology Degrees
Philosophy
#873
World Rank
#938
Historical Rank
#272
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #272 in the U.S. and #873 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.

philosophy Degrees
Physics
#1182
World Rank
#1213
Historical Rank
#275
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #275 in the U.S. and #1182 worldwide for influence in Physics.

physics Degrees
Medical
#1117
World Rank
#1123
Historical Rank
#312
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #312 in the U.S. and #1117 worldwide for influence in Medical.

medicine Degrees
Economics
#1875
World Rank
#1884
Historical Rank
#326
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #326 in the U.S. and #1875 worldwide for influence in Economics.

economics Degrees
Literature
#1035
World Rank
#1096
Historical Rank
#343
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #343 in the U.S. and #1035 worldwide for influence in Literature.

literature Degrees
Biology
#1515
World Rank
#1542
Historical Rank
#371
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #371 in the U.S. and #1515 worldwide for influence in Biology.

biology Degrees
Education
#1591
World Rank
#1595
Historical Rank
#372
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #372 in the U.S. and #1591 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees
Religious Studies
#1635
World Rank
#1662
Historical Rank
#377
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #377 in the U.S. and #1635 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.

religious-studies-hub Degrees
Criminal Justice
#715
World Rank
#720
Historical Rank
#389
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #389 in the U.S. and #715 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.

criminal-justice Degrees
Political Science
#1580
World Rank
#1595
Historical Rank
#390
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #390 in the U.S. and #1580 worldwide for influence in Political Science.

political-science Degrees
Social Work
#1398
World Rank
#1398
Historical Rank
#575
USA Rank

California State University, Fullerton ranks #575 in the U.S. and #1398 worldwide for influence in Social Work.

social-work Degrees

Who Are California State University, Fullerton's Most Influential Alumni?

California State University, Fullerton's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Psychology, Anthropology, and Nursing. Here are some of California State University, Fullerton's most famous alumni:

Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer
An American science writer.
Edward Feser
Edward Feser
An American professor of philosophy.
Gwen Stefani
An American singer-songwriter.
Tim Powers
Tim Powers
An American writer.
Tracy Caldwell Dyson
Tracy Caldwell Dyson
An American chemist and NASA astronaut.
Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert
An American singer.
Victor Reppert
An American philosopher.
James Blaylock
An American fantasy author.
Robert G. Picard
Robert G. Picard
An American writer.
Dana R. Carney
An American psychologist.
Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen
An American basketball player.
James F. Woodward
An American physicist.

Who Are California State University, Fullerton's Most Influential Faculty?

California State University, Fullerton's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Psychology, Anthropology, and Nursing. Here are some of California State University, Fullerton's most famous faculty:

Michele Vallisneri
An Italian physicist.
Wayne Au
An American educational researcher.
Albertin Montoya
An American soccer player-coach.
Tammi Reiss
An American actor and basketball player.