Cal State LA vs. California State University-Northridge

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or California State University Northridge? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or California State University-Northridge 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.

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California State University Los Angeles vs. California State University Northridge comparison
California State University Los Angeles California State University Northridge College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles California State University Northridge
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Overview

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
Location Los Angeles, CA Northridge, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,460 37,579
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947 #900
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu csun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $17,998 $11,848
Avg Net Price $5,801 $8,936
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $10,511
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 82%

Admission

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 25,965
Admitted 29,507 23,687
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 91.2%
Enrolled % 13.2% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.38
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 16/22
SAT Range 870/1060 900/1110
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 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
Graduation Rate 36% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $14,196
Median Loan Payment $133 $146

Diversity

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
% Men 41% 44%
% Women 59% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 7% 23%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 63% 44%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
% In-State 99% 96%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

Cal State LA California State University-Northridge
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 Northridge is larger than than Cal State LA based on total student enrollment (37,579 students vs. 26,460 students)

Cal State LA vs. California State University-Northridge Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or California State University-Northridge?

  • California State University Los Angeles and California State University-Northridge 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 State University Northridge ($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 California State University-Northridge ($5,801 vs. $8,936)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 51.9% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($11,848 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than California State University Northridge (91% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 3.8% larger than aid received California State University Northridge ($10,907 vs. $10,511)

Cal State LA vs. California State University-Northridge Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California State University Northridge (902) is 28 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming California State University-Northridge students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (19) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman California State University-Northridge students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (91.2%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

Cal State LA vs. California State University-Northridge Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or California State University-Northridge? 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 California State University-Northridge and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-Northridge is higher than California State University Los Angeles (46% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Northridge earn on average $600 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $1,276 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-Northridge graduates. ($12,920 vs. $14,196)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-Northridge graduates. ($133 vs. $146)
  • More California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 57%)

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