California State University-Northridge vs. Laguna College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 775 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Laguna College of Art and Design is in Laguna Beach, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Laguna College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Laguna College of Art and Design 9:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Laguna College of Art and Design? 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 Laguna College of Art and Design ($7,536 vs. $47,702).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 29.4% lower than at Laguna College of Art and Design ($13,804 vs. $19,553).
• Laguna College of Art and Design is 402.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $30,042 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 87% higher at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University Northridge (about $17,442 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University Northridge (100% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 15% larger than aid received by Laguna College of Art and Design students ($12,825 vs. $11,153).

California State University-Northridge vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or Laguna College of Art and Design? 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 Laguna College of Art and Design 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; Laguna College of Art and Design - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; Laguna College of Art and Design Aug 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Laguna College of Art and Design students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38).
• Laguna College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (94.3%) than California State University-Northridge (93.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 23.1% at Laguna College of Art and Design.

California State University-Northridge vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and Laguna College of Art and Design? 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.

• Laguna College of Art and Design's six-year graduation rate (56%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $7,400 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $40,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $12,503 lower median loan debt than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates ($14,196 vs. $26,699).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $130 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates ($146 vs. $276).
• More Laguna College of Art and Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (61% 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.