PublicUrban

California State University-Sacramento

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-17T14:00:00
Location: California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento State

Sacramento, California 95819-2694

Visit website

Campus Vibe

Large campusUrban

Known for business — major research university

California State University-Sacramento is a public institution in Sacramento with particular strength in business and health sciences.

A large campus of 27.9K undergraduates with a 21:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

56% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $64,876 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $10,512.

Established

1947

Motto

"Redefine the Possible"

Mascot

Herky the Hornet

Type

Public university

Conference

Hornet Stadium

Division

Division I

Campus Visits

14 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

4 more tours beyond 5 daysGet access →

Get access to view details →

94%Acceptance

—SAT Avg

27,867Students

21:1Student:Faculty

56%Grad Rate

$64,876Earnings 10yr

$10,512Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

California State University-Sacramento Launches New Data Science Minor

Get access to view details →

tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

Get access to view details →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate93.6%

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

93.6%

Trend

Yield Rate

35.0%

Get access to view details →

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$7,602

Tuition (out-of-state)$19,482

Room & Board$16,278

Books & Supplies$1,112

Total Cost of Attendance$22,714

Average Net Price$10,512

Median Debt at Graduation$15,000

Monthly Payment (10yr)$159

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$7,306

$30–48K$8,214

$48–75K$10,861

$75–110K$14,618

$110K+$20,649

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$10,512

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

7500.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$12,500

Get access to view details →

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

211

Peer Average

240

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

24/7 campus police department, blue-light phone network, emergency mass notification system

Get access to view details →

Programs (118)

Student Life

Get access to view details →

Student Body

Undergrads

27,867

Gender Split

55% / 45%

Women / Men

First Generation

49%

Pell Grant Recipients

49%

Race & Ethnicity

White 22%

Black 7%

Hispanic 39%

Asian 21%

Two+ 6%

Int'l 2%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate55.8%

Freshman Retention81.1%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$51,074

8 Years$58,491

10 Years$64,876

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$49,400

Men

$61,400

Rankings

U.S. News

#27

Get access to view details →

Forbes

#151

Get access to view details →

Wall Street Journal

#29

Get access to view details →

Washington Monthly

Get access to view details →

More About This School

Varsity Sports

Get access to view details →

Rankings

Get access to view details →

History & Fun Facts

•(November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Early years The efforts to get a four-year university in Sacramento date back to the 1920s; however, legislation repeatedly failed.
•Sacramento State was formally established in 1947 through legislation by State Senator Earl D.
•Founded as Sacramento State College on September 22, 1947, during a time of intense demand for higher education after World War II, Sacramento State shared space with Sacramento Junior College.
•Sacramento State's first semester of classes consisted of 235 students enrolled in 44 sections.
•During December 1947, the official mascot "Herky" (short for Hercules) the Hornet was chosen over the Elk, which wasn't considered to be aggressive enough.

Get access to view details →

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 30"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

San Franciscopop. 870K

77 mi(133 min)

Los Angelespop. 3.9M

358 mi(621 min)

San Diegopop. 1.4M

469 mi(813 min)

Get access to view details →

Getting There

Nearest Airports

SMF Sacramento13 mi

SFO San Francisco83 mi

SJC San Jose87 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2622 mi · ~75h 45m drive

New York, NY2497 mi · ~72h 8m drive

Hartford, CT2549 mi · ~73h 38m drive

Providence, RI2612 mi · ~75h 27m drive

Albany, NY2483 mi · ~71h 44m drive

Syracuse, NY2359 mi · ~68h 9m drive

Rochester, NY2285 mi · ~66h 1m drive

Buffalo, NY2224 mi · ~64h 15m drive

Philadelphia, PA2449 mi · ~70h 45m drive

Pittsburgh, PA2192 mi · ~63h 19m drive

Harrisburg, PA2355 mi · ~68h 2m drive

Newark, NJ2488 mi · ~71h 53m drive

Washington, DC2368 mi · ~68h 25m drive

Baltimore, MD2384 mi · ~68h 52m drive

Atlanta, GA2078 mi · ~60h 2m drive

Charlotte, NC2236 mi · ~64h 36m drive

Raleigh, NC2342 mi · ~67h 39m drive

Miami, FL2544 mi · ~73h 30m drive

Orlando, FL2387 mi · ~68h 57m drive

Tampa, FL2348 mi · ~67h 50m drive

Nashville, TN1898 mi · ~54h 50m drive

New Orleans, LA1876 mi · ~54h 12m drive

Richmond, VA2371 mi · ~68h 30m drive

Chicago, IL1786 mi · ~51h 36m drive

Detroit, MI2017 mi · ~58h 16m drive

Minneapolis, MN1509 mi · ~43h 36m drive

St. Louis, MO1678 mi · ~48h 29m drive

Kansas City, MO1440 mi · ~41h 36m drive

Indianapolis, IN1879 mi · ~54h 17m drive

Columbus, OH2042 mi · ~58h 59m drive

Cleveland, OH2093 mi · ~60h 28m drive

Milwaukee, WI1768 mi · ~51h 5m drive

Dallas, TX1434 mi · ~41h 26m drive

Houston, TX1602 mi · ~46h 17m drive

Austin, TX1461 mi · ~42h 12m drive

San Antonio, TX1452 mi · ~41h 57m drive

Los Angeles, CA358 mi · ~10h 21m drive

San Francisco, CA77 mi · ~2h 13m drive

San Diego, CA469 mi · ~13h 33m drive

Seattle, WA627 mi · ~18h 7m drive

Portland, OR485 mi · ~14h 1m drive

Denver, CO883 mi · ~25h 31m drive

Phoenix, AZ630 mi · ~18h 12m drive

Salt Lake City, UT529 mi · ~15h 17m drive

Honolulu, HI2463 mi · ~71h 9m drive

Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

Get access to view details →

Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Budget

Airport Transit

Sacramento (SMF)13 miles

Rental car

20 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

26 min$16-26

San Francisco (SFO)83 miles

Rental car

125 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

166 min$100-166

Get access to view details →

Schools Like This

Get access to view details →

Deadline Calendar

Get access to view details →

California State University-Sacramento Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

Verify at source →

Official High School Transcript

Verify at source →

School Report + Counselor Recommendation

Verify at source →

Two Teacher Recommendations

Verify at source →

SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

Verify at source →

California State University-Sacramento Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

Verify at source →

CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

Verify at source →

Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

Verify at source →

Interview (recommended)Optional

Verify at source →

Get access to view details →

Decision Notifications

Get access to view details →

SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award