CSU vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University

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

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Location Chico, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,523 298
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #660
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu jpcatholic.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $28,500
Room & Board $16,020 $15,099
Avg Net Price $15,187 $31,811
Avg Grant Aid $10,331 $15,709
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 98%

Admission

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,263 280
Admitted 20,864 222
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 79.3%Open
Enrolled % 10.4% 33.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 21/27
SAT Range 970/1170 1090/1260
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, 2025

Academics

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (26%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)

Outcomes

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Graduation Rate 59% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 70% -
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $175 $266

Diversity

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 6% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 54%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 23%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 12%

Students

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
% In-State 97% 49%
% Out-of-State 2% 43%

Campus

CSU John Paul the Great Catholic University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (14,523 students vs. 298 students)

CSU vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or John Paul the Great Catholic University?

  • John Paul the Great Catholic University is 396.3% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.7% higher at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California State University Chico ($28,500.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($15,187 vs. $31,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Paul the Great Catholic University are 6.1% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($15,099 vs. $16,020)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California State University Chico (98% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Paul the Great Catholic University students is 52.1% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($15,709 vs. $10,331)

CSU vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1106) is 103 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than John Paul the Great Catholic University (79.3%)

CSU vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and CSU.

  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $8,750 lower median federal student loan debt than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,750)
  • CSU graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($175 vs. $266)

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