Cal State East Bay vs. California State University-Northridge

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, 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 Cal State East Bay based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 12,326 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Northridge is in Northridge, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University East Bay 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 East Bay 22:1; California State University Northridge 25:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. California State University-Northridge Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay 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 Cal State East Bay ($7,536 vs. $9,850).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 22.6% lower than at California State University East Bay ($13,804 vs. $17,831).
• California State University East Bay is 1.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $125 more per year; $7,583.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.6% higher at Cal State East Bay than at California State University Northridge (about $125 more per year; $20,183.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at California State University East Bay (83% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 3.7% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($12,825 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. California State University-Northridge Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; California State University-Northridge - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-Northridge students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than California State University-Northridge (93.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 18% at California State University-Northridge.

Cal State East Bay vs. California State University-Northridge Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and California State University-Northridge? 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).

• California State University Northridge's six-year graduation rate (46%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $7,800 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $2,136 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($14,196 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($146 vs. $168).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 59%)

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.