California State University-Northridge vs. DSC

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Utah Tech University in Saint George, UT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than DSC based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 13,167 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Utah Tech University is in Saint George, UT (Small City setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Utah Tech University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Utah Tech University 23:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. DSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or DSC? 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 DSC ($7,536 vs. $17,598).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Utah Tech University are 31.7% lower than at California State University Northridge ($9,434 vs. $13,804).
• California State University Northridge is 18.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than DSC (about $1,152 more per year; $7,458.00 vs. $6,306.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.9% higher at California State University-Northridge than at Utah Tech University (about $1,812 more per year; $20,058.00 vs. $18,246.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Utah Tech University than at California State University Northridge (87% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 81.1% larger than aid received by Utah Tech University students ($12,825 vs. $7,081).

California State University-Northridge vs. DSC Admissions comparison

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

• Utah Tech University reports an open admissions policy.
• 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; DSC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman DSC students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38).

California State University-Northridge vs. DSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and DSC? 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 Northridge's six-year graduation rate is 46%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for DSC.
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $7,900 more per year than DSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $39,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $2,429 lower median loan debt than DSC graduates ($14,196 vs. $16,625).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $25 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than DSC graduates ($146 vs. $171).
• More California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DSC students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 49%)

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.