CSUDH vs. California State University-Northridge

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than CSUDH based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 15,182 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); California State University Northridge is in Northridge, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; California State University Northridge 25:1.

CSUDH vs. California State University-Northridge Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH or California State University-Northridge? 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 Northridge than CSUDH ($7,536 vs. $9,175).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 25.2% lower than at California State University Dominguez Hills ($13,804 vs. $18,444).
• California State University Northridge is 0.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUDH (about $9 more per year; $7,458.00 vs. $7,449.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0% higher at California State University-Northridge than at California State University Dominguez Hills (about $9 more per year; $20,058.00 vs. $20,049.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at California State University Northridge (93% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students is 8.8% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($13,951 vs. $12,825).

CSUDH vs. California State University-Northridge Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH or California State University-Northridge? 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 California State University-Northridge and CSUDH.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; California State University-Northridge - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman California State University-Northridge students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than CSUDH (93.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 18% at California State University-Northridge.

CSUDH vs. California State University-Northridge Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH and California State University-Northridge? 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.

• California State University Northridge's six-year graduation rate (46%) is higher than California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $700 more per year than CSUDH graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $46,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $234 lower median loan debt than California State University-Northridge graduates ($13,962 vs. $14,196).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-Northridge graduates ($144 vs. $146).
• More California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 52%)

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.