California State University-Sacramento

What California State University-Sacramento does

California State University, Sacramento (Sac State) is a public research university within the 23-campus California State University system, founded in 1947 and located on a 300-acre riverside campus five miles from the State Capitol in Sacramento. The university serves approximately 31,000 students through seven colleges covering Arts and Letters, Business Administration, Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Health and Human Services, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies, with programs ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees. Sac State holds federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution status, is a California State Assembly-recognized Black-Serving Institution, and earned Carnegie Foundation R2 Research Institution classification in 2025. Specialized colleges include the first-in-the-nation Black Honors College (launched 2024) and the Wileety Native American College.

The university's underlying technology stack is conventional higher-education infrastructure, including Canvas LMS for course delivery, Zoom for virtual instruction, Trumba for campus event scheduling, LinkedIn Learning for staff development, and accessibility tooling such as DubBot and WebAIM supporting WCAG 2.1 AA compliance under the Accessible Technology Initiative. Instructional innovations include Learning Glass technology and the StingerStudio makerspace. The business model combines tuition and fees set at the system level, state appropriations through the CSU system, federal and state research grants (now expanded by R2 status), private giving through University Advancement, and auxiliary enterprises operated through University Enterprises, Inc. A landmark $50 million catalyst investment from Meta, announced January 2026, is funding the Capitol Mall redevelopment project, described as the largest private contribution ever made to a CSU campus.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on targeted outreach to the Greater Sacramento region, California, and international markets, alongside orientation programs, campus visit programs, and peer ambassador recruitment. Distribution occurs primarily through the centralized Cal State Apply portal, campus-based instruction, the College of Continuing Education for adult learners, and CSU International Programs for study abroad. Upcoming strategic milestones include the WSCUC reaccreditation review in 2026-2027, ADA Title II compliance by April 2027, and execution of the multi-year Capitol Mall mixed-use redevelopment project.

Name

California State University-Sacramento

Legal name

California State University, Sacramento

Website

https://csus.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

California State University, Sacramento (Sac State) is a public R2 research university within the 23-campus CSU system, serving approximately 31,000 students across seven colleges on a 300-acre Sacramento campus near the State Capitol, with federally designated HSI, AANAPISI, and Black-Serving Institution status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degrees
• Continuing education
• Public university

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition and enrollment fees for undergraduate and graduate programs across all colleges.
2. State Funding: California State University system funding from the state of California, including public-private partnership catalyst funding for campus development projects.
3. Private Investment: Major private contributions from corporations such as Meta's $50 million catalyst funding for campus redevelopment and affordable housing development.
4. Federal and State Grants: Research grants and federal/state funding supporting R2 research institution activities and student success initiatives.
5. Private Giving and Donations: Alumni contributions, corporate sponsorships, and philanthropic donations through the University Advancement office.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

California State University-Sacramento (Sac State) is a public university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across seven colleges (Arts & Letters, Business, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, Health & Human Services, Natural Sciences & Mathematics, and Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies) to approximately 31,000 students. The university also operates specialized colleges such as the nation's first Black Honors College and the Wileety Native American College, supported by student services, research programs, and recreation facilities on a 300-acre Sacramento campus.

Product overview

California State University, Sacramento (Sac State) operates as a comprehensive public university offering a unified portfolio of academic programs across seven colleges, with student support services as integral offerings. The institution's flagship products include traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning Arts & Letters, Business, Education, Engineering, Health & Human Services, Natural Sciences & Mathematics, and Social Sciences. The university launched the nationally inaugural Black Honors College in 2024 as a specialized sub-brand, alongside the Wileety Native American College. Student-facing platforms include Canvas LMS for academic delivery, The WELL for recreation, and comprehensive support services including academic advising, career services, and library resources. Continuing Education and professional development programs extend access to non-traditional learners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Degree Programs
• Black Honors College
• Wileety Native American College

Quantifiable outcome

• Black student enrollment has 'skyrocketed' in the last two years with the Black Honors College growing from 80 to over 500 students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CapRadiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026CapRadio launched a paid internship fund for Sac State students, providing professional development opportunities in journalism and media for students.
• California Department of General ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026State agency partnering with Sacramento State and Meta on the Capitol Mall redevelopment project to advance the state's 2019 executive order to repurpose excess state property for affordable housing.
• Governor Gavin NewsomcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Governor Newsom announced the public-private partnership between the state, university, and Meta for the Capitol Mall redevelopment project aimed at revitalizing downtown Sacramento and creating affordable student housing.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• University of California, Davis: Major public research university located 15 miles from Sacramento in Davis, CA. Closest direct peer within UC system serving the same regional market with broader research portfolio and higher selectivity, competing for faculty, research funding, and Sacramento-area students.

Direct peers

• San Jose State University: Peer CSU campus with comparable enrollment scale (~33,000 students), similar urban setting, and overlapping focus on serving diverse and transfer student populations. Closest analog in scale and student demographics within the CSU system.
• California State University, Fresno: Peer CSU campus in California's Central Valley with comparable enrollment scale, similar focus on serving first-generation and diverse students, and overlapping programmatic mix in health, education, and engineering.
• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: Peer CSU campus with comparable scale (~30,000 students), similar emphasis on diversity and applied programs, and direct competition for transfer students and STEM applicants within the CSU system.
• California State University, Northridge: Peer CSU campus with comparable enrollment (~38,000 students), strong Hispanic-Serving Institution designation, and similar comprehensive program mix serving diverse urban California populations.
• California State University, Long Beach: Largest CSU campus by enrollment, serving similar diverse student populations in California with comparable comprehensive program offerings across seven-plus colleges. Strong benchmark for scale and student success outcomes.
• San Francisco State University: Peer CSU campus with strong diversity credentials, urban location, comparable enrollment, and similar mix of undergraduate and graduate programs serving diverse California populations.
• California State University, Chico: Peer CSU campus of comparable size and comprehensiveness within Northern California, competing for regional students and sharing similar program mix across arts, sciences, and professional fields.

Regional players

• Sacramento City College: Local community college in Sacramento serving as a primary feeder institution for transfer students to Sacramento State. Direct pipeline relationship and competitor for adult learners and continuing education students in the same metro area.
• University of the Pacific: Private university located in Stockton, CA within the Sacramento region. Competes for regional students and graduate professional program applicants, particularly in health sciences, business, and education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sacstate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SacStateVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/sacstate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/sacstate
• Instagraminstagram.com/sacstate
• TikToktiktok.com/@sacstate

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California State University-Sacramento