California State University-Northridge vs. CSU Channel Islands

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 5,592 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); California State University Channel Islands is in Camarillo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Channel Islands is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; California State University Channel Islands 16:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands ($7,536 vs. $10,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 10.9% lower than at California State University Channel Islands ($13,804 vs. $15,490).
• California State University Northridge is 4.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Channel Islands (about $299 more per year; $7,458.00 vs. $7,159.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.5% higher at California State University-Northridge than at California State University Channel Islands (about $299 more per year; $20,058.00 vs. $19,759.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at California State University Channel Islands (83% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 2.4% larger than aid received by California State University Channel Islands students ($12,825 vs. $12,528).

California State University-Northridge vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands and California State University-Northridge.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Northridge - Test-free; CSU Channel Islands - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; CSU Channel Islands Jul 30, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman California State University-Northridge students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22).
• CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than California State University-Northridge (93.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 6.2% at CSU Channel Islands.

California State University-Northridge vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and CSU Channel Islands? 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.

• California State University Channel Islands's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $46,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $987 lower median loan debt than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($14,196 vs. $15,183).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($146 vs. $156).
• More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (66% 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.