California College of the Arts vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to California College of the Arts or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California College of the Arts or CSU Channel Islands is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California College of the Arts vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
California College of the Arts California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
California College of the Arts California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Location Oakland, CA Camarillo, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,501 6,128
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cca.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $53,856 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $53,856 $17,622
Room & Board $19,957 $16,300
Avg Net Price $47,862 $13,540
Avg Grant Aid $27,563 $9,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 72%

Admission

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,987 10,420
Admitted 2,261 9,342
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 89.7%
Enrolled % 8.4% 6.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (77%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Communications Technology (4%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • English and Literature (2%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 49% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $289 $156

Diversity

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
% Men 35% 34%
% Women 65% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 32%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 14% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 31% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 42% 99%
% Out-of-State 20% 1%

Campus

California College of the Arts CSU Channel Islands
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Channel Islands is larger than than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (6,128 students vs. 1,501 students)

California College of the Arts vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or CSU Channel Islands?

  • California College of the Arts is 837.9% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands for in-state tuition ($53,856.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.6% higher at California College of the Arts than California State University Channel Islands ($53,856.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than California College of the Arts ($13,540 vs. $47,862)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Channel Islands are 22.4% lower than costs at California College of the Arts ($16,300 vs. $19,957)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California College of the Arts than California State University Channel Islands (91% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 192.8% larger than aid received California State University Channel Islands ($27,563 vs. $9,412)

California College of the Arts vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or CSU Channel Islands? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSU Channel Islands or California College of the Arts .

  • Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than California College of the Arts (75.7%)

California College of the Arts vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California College of the Arts or CSU Channel Islands? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CSU Channel Islands and California College of the Arts.

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than California College of the Arts (54% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $2,600 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $43,500)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $12,817 lower median federal student loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates. ($15,183 vs. $28,000)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $133 less per month on federal student loans than California College of the Arts graduates. ($156 vs. $289)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/