Cal State LA vs. CMA

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or California Maritime Academy? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or CMA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State CSUDH California State University-Fresno California State University-San Bernardino California State University-Northridge CSU Cal State East Bay La Verne UC Merced
California State University Los Angeles vs. California Maritime Academy comparison
California State University Los Angeles California Maritime Academy College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles California Maritime Academy
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cal State LA CMA
Location Los Angeles, CA Vallejo, CA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 26,460 849
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu csum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State LA CMA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $17,998 $11,942
Avg Net Price $5,801 $17,566
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $9,529
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 39%

Admission

 Cal State LA CMA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 756
Admitted 29,507 722
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 95.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 19, 2025 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

 Cal State LA CMA
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Transportation and Materials Moving (53%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (12%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal State LA CMA
Graduation Rate 36% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $90,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $25,526
Median Loan Payment $133 $263

Diversity

 Cal State LA CMA
% Men 41% 79%
% Women 59% 21%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 7% 54%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 63% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 11%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Cal State LA CMA
% In-State 99% 80%
% Out-of-State 0% 20%

Campus

 Cal State LA CMA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Los Angeles is larger than than CMA based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 849 students)

Cal State LA vs. CMA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or CMA?

  • California State University Los Angeles and CMA cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Cal State LA as California Maritime Academy ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than CMA ($5,801 vs. $17,566)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Maritime Academy are 50.7% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($11,942 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than California Maritime Academy (91% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 14.5% larger than aid received California Maritime Academy ($10,907 vs. $9,529)

Cal State LA vs. CMA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or CMA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CMA or Cal State LA .

  • Accepted freshman CMA students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • CMA has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

Cal State LA vs. CMA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or CMA? 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 CMA and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at CMA is higher than California State University Los Angeles (62% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California Maritime Academy earn on average $43,600 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($90,500 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $12,606 lower median federal student loan debt than CMA graduates. ($12,920 vs. $25,526)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than CMA graduates. ($133 vs. $263)
  • More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/