California State University-Northridge vs. Musicians Institute

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute ($7,536 vs. $49,657).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 37.5% lower than at Musicians Institute ($13,804 vs. $22,086).
• Musicians Institute is 360.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $26,864 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 71.1% higher at Musicians Institute than at California State University Northridge (about $14,264 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Musicians Institute (83% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 194.6% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($12,825 vs. $4,353).

California State University-Northridge vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or Musicians Institute? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Musicians Institute and California State University-Northridge.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Northridge - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

California State University-Northridge vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and Musicians Institute? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $12,600 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 53%)

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.