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Sacramento State San Francisco State Tennessee Tech Humboldt State University San Jose State UC Merced Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno Tennessee Cal State East Bay UC Davis| California State University Chico | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CSU | UTC | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Chattanooga, TN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,523 | 11,380 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #660 | #815 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | utc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | UTC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $8,232 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $16,296 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,020 | $10,052 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,187 | $13,801 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,331 | $9,834 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 93% |
Admission |
CSU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,263 | 9,096 | ||
| Admitted | 20,864 | 7,006 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 93.7% | 77% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.4% | 34% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1170 | 1005/1185 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2025 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
CSU | UTC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | UTC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 39% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,400 | $40,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $20,792 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $214 |
Diversity |
CSU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 11% | ||
Campus |
CSU | UTC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Chico is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (14,523 students vs. 11,380 students)
CSU vs. UTC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or UTC?
- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 43.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($8,232.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at CSU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($17,622.00 vs. $16,296.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than CSU ($13,801 vs. $15,187)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 59.4% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($10,052 vs. $16,020)
- More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than California State University Chico (93% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 5.1% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($10,331 vs. $9,834)
CSU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or UTC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UTC or CSU .
- The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 84 points higher than at CSU (1003)
- Incoming UTC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at CSU (22)
- Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at CSU (3.37)
- CSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than UTC (77%)
CSU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU or UTC? 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 UTC and CSU.
- The graduation rate at CSU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (59% vs. 39%)
- Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $11,800 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $40,600)
- California State University Chico students graduate with a $3,792 lower median federal student loan debt than UTC graduates. ($17,000 vs. $20,792)
- CSU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UTC graduates. ($175 vs. $214)
- More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/