CSU vs. Eastern

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

 CSU Eastern
Location Chico, CA Richmond, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 14,183 14,324
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #854
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Eastern
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $9,544
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $19,922
Room & Board $15,212 $10,360
Avg Net Price $15,517 $10,806
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $10,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 98%

Admission

 CSU Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 15,821
Admitted 20,347 10,174
Acceptance Rate 95% 64.3%
Enrolled % 9.9% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 17/24
SAT Range 970/1170 940/1185
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 CSU Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 CSU Eastern
Graduation Rate 59% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $23,695
Median Loan Payment $175 $245

Diversity

 CSU Eastern
% Men 45% 39%
% Women 55% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 85%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 29% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 CSU Eastern
% In-State 97% 91%
% Out-of-State 2% 9%

Campus

 CSU Eastern
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

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Eastern?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 66.2% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.1% higher at Eastern than California State University Chico ($19,922.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than CSU ($10,806 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 46.8% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($10,360 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than California State University Chico (98% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 15.5% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($10,583 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 25 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming CSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Eastern (64.3%)

CSU vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Eastern? 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 Eastern and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (59% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $14,500 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $37,900)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $6,695 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($17,000 vs. $23,695)
  • CSU graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($175 vs. $245)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 49%)

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