California State University-Northridge vs. Pitzer

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Pitzer College in Claremont, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than Pitzer based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 1,242 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Pitzer College is in Claremont, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Pitzer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Pitzer College 10:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. Pitzer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Pitzer? 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 Pitzer ($7,536 vs. $34,979).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 37.7% lower than at Pitzer College ($13,804 vs. $22,150).
• Pitzer College is 774.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $57,734 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 225% higher at Pitzer than at California State University Northridge (about $45,134 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Pitzer College (83% vs. 39%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pitzer College students is 301.5% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($51,487 vs. $12,825).

California State University-Northridge vs. Pitzer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or Pitzer? 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 Pitzer 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; Pitzer - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; Pitzer Jan 1, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman Pitzer students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38).
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than Pitzer (25.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 35.8% at Pitzer.

California State University-Northridge vs. Pitzer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and Pitzer? 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.

• Pitzer College's six-year graduation rate (81%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from Pitzer College earn a median of about $2,100 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,600 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $1,699 lower median loan debt than Pitzer graduates ($14,196 vs. $15,895).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pitzer graduates ($146 vs. $164).
• More Pitzer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (81% 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.