CSU vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Chico in Chico, CA with Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Chico is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (15,257 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Chico is located in Chico, CA (Small City setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Chico is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Chico 23:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

CSU vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Design Institute of San Diego? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than Design Institute of San Diego ($14,630 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 25.3% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($16,500 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 245.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU (about $20,828 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $8,472.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 39% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Chico (about $8,228 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $21,072.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Chico (100% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students is 3.4% larger than aid received by California State University Chico students ($11,901 vs. $11,509).

CSU vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or Design Institute of San Diego? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Design Institute of San Diego and CSU.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Chico 970/1170.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Chico 18/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Dec 15, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CSU (92.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.2% at CSU vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

CSU vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU and Design Institute of San Diego? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than California State University Chico's (59%).
• Graduates from California State University Chico earn a median of about $13,500 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,400 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Chico graduates have a $23,585 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($17,000 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, CSU graduates have an estimated $244 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($175 vs. $419).
• More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Design Institute of San Diego students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.