CSU vs. Musicians Institute

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Chico is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (15,257 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Chico is located in Chico, CA (Small City setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Chico is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Chico 23:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

CSU vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute ($14,630 vs. $49,657).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 25.3% lower than at Musicians Institute ($16,500 vs. $22,086).
• Musicians Institute is 305.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU (about $25,850 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $8,472.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62.9% higher at Musicians Institute than at California State University Chico (about $13,250 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $21,072.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Chico than at Musicians Institute (66% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 164.4% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($11,509 vs. $4,353).

CSU vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or Musicians Institute? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Musicians Institute and CSU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Chico 970/1170.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Chico 18/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Dec 15, 2026.
• CSU has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.2% at CSU vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

CSU vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU and Musicians Institute? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University Chico's (59%).
• Graduates from California State University Chico earn a median of about $17,500 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,400 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 53%)

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.