CSU vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to California State University Chico or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU 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 State University Chico vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
California State University Chico California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
California State University Chico California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
Location Chico, CA Camarillo, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,523 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #660
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,020 $14,200
Avg Net Price $15,187 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $10,331 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 80%

Admission

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,263 10,082
Admitted 20,864 9,382
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 93.1%
Enrolled % 10.4% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 970/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2025 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 59% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $175 $156

Diversity

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 6% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 32%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 49%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

 CSU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 97% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (14,523 students vs. 5,688 students)

CSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or CSU Channel Islands?

  • California State University Chico and CSU Channel Islands cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU as California State University Channel Islands ($17,622.00 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 CSU ($10,931 vs. $15,187)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Channel Islands are 12.8% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($14,200 vs. $16,020)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Channel Islands than California State University Chico (80% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 23.9% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($12,804 vs. $10,331)

CSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU 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 CSU .

  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than CSU Channel Islands (93.1%)

CSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than California State University Channel Islands (59% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $6,300 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $46,100)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $1,817 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $17,000)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($156 vs. $175)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Channel Islands students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)

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