Cal State LA vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or Design Institute of San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or Design Institute of San Diego 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. Design Institute of San Diego comparison
California State University Los Angeles Design Institute of San Diego College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles
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Overview

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Location Los Angeles, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 25,080 111
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #941
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website calstatela.edu disd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $29,250
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $29,250
Room & Board $18,658 $19,431
Avg Net Price $4,551 $27,693
Avg Grant Aid $12,478 $14,400
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 75%

Admission

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 32,748 8
Admitted 30,106 7
Acceptance Rate 91.9% 87.5%Open
Enrolled % 12% 28.6%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades 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, 2026

Academics

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Graduation Rate 36% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $38,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $40,585
Median Loan Payment $133 $419

Diversity

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
% Men 5% 2%
% Women 9% 15%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 7% 58%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 63% 17%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
% In-State 99% 100%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Cal State LA Design Institute of San Diego
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Los Angeles is larger than than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (25,080 students vs. 111 students)

Cal State LA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or Design Institute of San Diego?

  • Design Institute of San Diego is 409.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($29,250.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than California State University Los Angeles ($29,250.00 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 Design Institute of San Diego ($4,551 vs. $27,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Los Angeles are 4.1% lower than costs at Design Institute of San Diego ($18,658 vs. $19,431)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than Design Institute of San Diego (93% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students is 15.4% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($14,400 vs. $12,478)

Cal State LA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Design Institute of San Diego (87.5%)

Cal State LA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Design Institute of San Diego and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at Design Institute of San Diego is higher than California State University Los Angeles (62% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn on average $8,000 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $38,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $27,665 lower median federal student loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates. ($12,920 vs. $40,585)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $286 less per month on federal student loans than Design Institute of San Diego graduates. ($133 vs. $419)
  • More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 57%)

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