California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Northridge is larger than San Francisco State based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 22,563 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State ($7,536 vs. $13,168).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 38% lower than at San Francisco State University ($13,804 vs. $22,266).
• San Francisco State University is 6.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $492 more per year; $7,950.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.5% higher at San Francisco State than at California State University Northridge (about $492 more per year; $20,550.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at San Francisco State University (83% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 1.3% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($12,996 vs. $12,825).

California State University-Northridge vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at San Francisco State University (1030) is 20 points higher than at California State University-Northridge (1010).
• Incoming California State University-Northridge students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 19) as students at San Francisco State (19).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 900/1110; San Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 16/22; San Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Northridge - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• 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 (96.4%) than California State University-Northridge (93.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

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

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge and San Francisco State? 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).

• 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 a median of about $5,100 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,600 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $3,054 lower median loan debt than San Francisco State graduates ($14,196 vs. $17,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.