California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State

Should I go to California State University Northridge or San Francisco State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California State University-Northridge or San Francisco State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Northridge vs. San Francisco State University comparison
California State University Northridge San Francisco State University College 3 College 4
California State University Northridge San Francisco State University
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Overview

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Location Northridge, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,579 25,282
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #900 #789
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csun.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $11,848 $17,955
Avg Net Price $8,936 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $10,511 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 72%

Admission

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,965 29,932
Admitted 23,687 28,195
Acceptance Rate 91.2% 94.2%
Enrolled % 21% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 16/23
SAT Range 900/1110 930/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 46% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,196 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $146 $178

Diversity

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
% Men 44% 43%
% Women 56% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 23% 21%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 44% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 9% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
% In-State 96% 96%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

California State University-Northridge San Francisco State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Northridge is larger than than San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (37,579 students vs. 25,282 students)

California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or San Francisco State?

  • California State University Northridge and San Francisco State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at California State University-Northridge as San Francisco State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Northridge than San Francisco State ($8,936 vs. $13,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 51.5% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($11,848 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Northridge than San Francisco State University (82% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 6.9% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($10,511 vs. $9,830)

California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or San Francisco State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Francisco State or California State University-Northridge .

  • The average SAT score at San Francisco State University (979) is 77 points higher than at California State University-Northridge (902)
  • Incoming San Francisco State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at California State University-Northridge (19)
  • Accepted freshman California State University-Northridge students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than California State University-Northridge (91.2%)

California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California State University-Northridge or San Francisco State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between San Francisco State and California State University-Northridge.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-Northridge is the same as at San Francisco State University (46% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $47,500)
  • California State University Northridge students graduate with a $3,054 lower median federal student loan debt than San Francisco State graduates. ($14,196 vs. $17,250)
  • California State University-Northridge graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than San Francisco State graduates. ($146 vs. $178)
  • More San Francisco State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/