CSUDH vs. SCI-Arc

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Dominguez Hills is larger than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (15,182 students vs. 418 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); Southern California Institute of Architecture is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern California Institute of Architecture is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; Southern California Institute of Architecture 9:1.

CSUDH vs. SCI-Arc Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH or SCI-Arc? 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 Dominguez Hills than SCI-Arc ($9,175 vs. $28,985).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 26.3% lower than at California State University Dominguez Hills ($13,600 vs. $18,444).
• Southern California Institute of Architecture is 654% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUDH (about $48,713 more per year; $56,162.00 vs. $7,449.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 180.1% higher at SCI-Arc than at California State University Dominguez Hills (about $36,113 more per year; $56,162.00 vs. $20,049.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at Southern California Institute of Architecture (93% vs. 26%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 205.5% larger than aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students ($42,627 vs. $13,951).

CSUDH vs. SCI-Arc Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH or SCI-Arc? 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 SCI-Arc and CSUDH.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSouthern California Institute of Architecture 1020/1230.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; SCI-Arc - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; SCI-Arc Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman SCI-Arc students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• CSUDH has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than SCI-Arc (76.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 7% at SCI-Arc.

CSUDH vs. SCI-Arc Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH and SCI-Arc? 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.

• Southern California Institute of Architecture's six-year graduation rate (58%) is higher than California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from California State University Dominguez Hills earn a median of about $400 more per year than SCI-Arc graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,800 vs. $46,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $28,788 lower median loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates ($13,962 vs. $42,750).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $298 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SCI-Arc graduates ($144 vs. $442).
• More SCI-Arc graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (62% 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.