Diverse Accredited, Affordable Degrees Available at CSUS
California State University-Sacramento appears in our ranking of 100 Affordable Public Schools With High 40-Year ROIs.
Ranked Money Magazine’s 150th best value, California State University-Sacramento is a public, space-grant AASCU member in Northern California that provides 151 bachelor’s, 69 master’s, and three doctoral majors plus the Accelerated College Entrance Program at a 26:1 student-faculty ratio. For example, the 120-unit Political Science BA offers opportunities to engage in the Panetta Institute, compete with Model UN, pledge Pi Sigma Alpha, and join the Odyssey Mentors Program. Headed by Dr. Andrew Anker, the Interior Design BA builds a 120-unit, CIDA-accredited curriculum with chances to use the Interior Architecture Lab, intern at Stantec, join PRINTS, and semester in France.
Online on Canvas, the College of Business Administration delivers a 30-unit, AACSB-accredited Accountancy MS in 12-18 months for post-grads with minimum 500 GMAT scores to complete 200-level courses like Taxation of Business Entities and Financial Reporting for a 71.5 percent CPA exam pass rate. Chaired by Dr. Robert Crawford, the Biological Sciences MS follows a 30-unit thesis track for concentrations in Ecology, Evolution, Conservation, or Molecular & Cellular Biology with hands-on Tschannen Complex research and Field Biology Group projects. Other Sacramento degrees include the Criminal Justice BS, Anthropology BA, Women’s Studies BS, Graphic Design BFA, Deaf Studies BA, English MA, Geology MS, Applied Behavior Analysis MA, Public History Ph.D., and Leadership EdD.
About California State University-Sacramento
California State University-Sacramento originated in 1947 when State Senator Earl D. Desmond wrote legislation to create Sacramento State College. That September, the inaugural group of 235 arrived at the Sacramento Junior College campus for 44 new upper-division courses. In 1948, transfer John J. Collins became Sacramento State’s first bachelor’s recipient. In 1949, Sac State purchased a former peach farm to erect an independent campus. On April 6, 1967, its famous 1,144-foot Guy West Bridge over the American River was finished. In 1972, it joined the 23-site CSU System as California State University-Sacramento. In 1975, the Student Union was built to cover 65,000 square feet with amenities. By 1999, CSUS was authorized to award its earliest Doctor of Education degree. In 2017, Sacramento State earned LEED Gold certification for its eco-friendly Riverview Hall.
Endowed for $48 million, California State University-Sacramento now employs 1,656 faculty teaching 28,813 undergrad and 3,089 post-grad Hornets from 60 countries online or on its 305-acre capital campus with 340+ clubs like Active Minds for 82 percent retention. In 2019, Sacramento State won the CHESC Best Practices Sustainability Award. In 2018, CSUS received a Tau Beta Pi Chapter Excellence Award. California State University-Sacramento accepted the WSBAA Boating Education Advancement Award too. The U.S. News & World Report named Sac State the 77th best social work and 123rd top public affairs school. On Niche, CSUS boasts America’s 280th most diversity and 243rd best student life. Military Times crowned CSUS the 79th best for vets school. Forbes picked California State University-Sacramento for the 162nd top public institution and 157th best mid-size employer.
California State University-Sacramento Accreditation Details
On June 23, 2017, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission took action to reaffirm the Level VI accreditation at California State University-Sacramento through the next Spring 2027 visit under President Robert S. Nelsen, Ph.D., who earned the Literacy Champion Award. Located 88 miles west via Interstate 80 in Alameda, this esteemed eight-territory Asia-Pacific Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Sacramento State also lists the following accreditations:
- Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Council on Social Work Education
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
- Council on Rehabilitation Education
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
- American Council for Construction Education
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Association of Gerontology in Higher Education
- Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
California State University-Sacramento Application Requirements
Starting at California State University-Sacramento is classified as “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s since 16,352 of the 24,132 Fall 2018 applicants were okayed for 68 percent acceptance. First-year Hornets must graduate high school or pass the GED/CHSPE equivalency exams. Only the Accelerated College Entrance Program accepts in-state juniors and seniors with GPAs above 3.0. The Eligibility Index requires a minimum 2950 score when multiplying GPA by 800 and adding SAT scores. Freshmen present an average 3.42 GPA, 1040 SAT, and 20 ACT mark. Transfers must be in good standing with 60+ accredited units graded C or greater. Foreign learners need at least 510 TOEFL pBT, 6.0 IELTS, or 50 PTE scores. Graduate programs look for a four-year bachelor’s completion with cumulative GPAs above 2.5. Doctoral degrees mandate upper-division GPAs of 3.0 or higher. Most post-bachelor’s options necessitate GRE composite scores of at least 300-310. The College of Business Administration requires 1100 or more points when multiplying GPA by 200 and adding GMAT scores.
California State University-Sacramento has a Fall undergrad admission period of October 1st to November 30th. The Spring period runs August 1st to August 31st for transfers only. The Office of Graduate Admissions has varying program-specific deadlines though. For instance, the Mechanical Engineering MS closes on March 1st. Doctor of Physical Therapy entrants must file by February 15th. The Urban Land Development MS has a December 1st priority date. Executive MBA cohorts are welcome until June 26th. Prospective Hornets submit the CSU Application online for $55 ($70 if graduate). Official transcripts are mailed to 6000 J Street in Sacramento, CA 95819. Testing reports are forwarded using SAT/GRE code 3594 or ACT code 0382. Contact (916) 278-6011 or [email protected] to learn further steps.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, California State University-Sacramento is charging full-time undergrads $3,684 per term or $7,368 annually. Non-resident tuition adds $396 per unit. Mandatory fees, such as the $393 WELL fee, $150 athletics fee, and $71 Associated Students Inc. fee, are included. Residing at on-campus housing like Desmond Hall costs $15,224 for room and board each year. CSUS budgets $1,970 for books, $864 for transport, and $1,704 for miscellaneous. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals about $27,130 in-state or $38,334 out-of-state. Graduate education costs $4,401 each semester full-time. Part-time graduates taking six or fewer credits pay $2,082. Non-resident fees are $396 per master’s or doctoral unit. The Doctor of Physical Therapy is uniquely priced at $9,411 by term.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Student Service Center in Lassen Hall Room 1000 leads 87 percent of new full-time CSUS Hornets to financial aid averaging $9,672 each for $27.58 million combined. University funds include the Bob Larson Memorial Scholarship, Jancis Dennis Scholarship, Allan Rosoff Memorial Scholarship, Chevron Information Technology Scholarship, Crystal Coleman Accounting Scholarship, Dr. Patricia Ackerman Nursing Scholarship, Carol Barbee Scholarship, Jackie Morris-Henderson Scholarship, Fannie Foster Research Scholarship, and Karen Lee Warmdahl Memorial Scholarship. The Otis Scott Scholarship gifts $1,000 to full-time College of Social Sciences majors with GPAs over 2.75. The $2,500 Ignacio Ruiz Scholarship assists future K-12 bilingual/multicultural teachers taking 12+ units with minimum 2.67 GPAs. Federal programs, such as the Pell Grant or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, require FAFSA applications coded 00150. Locals also pursue the Cal Grant, Middle-Class Scholarship, State University Grant, Sally Casanova Scholars Grant, and CSU Trustees’ Award.
Explore eight top-notch colleges that grant 220+ innovative, in-demand degrees placed 238th for tuition ROI by PayScale at the California State University-Sacramento website.