California State University-Northridge vs. SCI-Arc

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 418 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Southern California Institute of Architecture is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern California Institute of Architecture is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Southern California Institute of Architecture 9:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. SCI-Arc Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or SCI-Arc? 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 SCI-Arc ($7,536 vs. $28,985).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 1.5% lower than at California State University Northridge ($13,600 vs. $13,804).
• Southern California Institute of Architecture is 653% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $48,704 more per year; $56,162.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 180% higher at SCI-Arc than at California State University Northridge (about $36,104 more per year; $56,162.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Southern California Institute of Architecture (83% vs. 26%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 232.4% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($42,627 vs. $12,825).

California State University-Northridge vs. SCI-Arc Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Southern California Institute of Architecture (1130) is 120 points higher than at California State University-Northridge (1010).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Northridge 900/1110; Southern California Institute of Architecture 1020/1230.
• 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; SCI-Arc - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; SCI-Arc Jan 15, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman SCI-Arc students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38).
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than SCI-Arc (76.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 7% at SCI-Arc.

California State University-Northridge vs. SCI-Arc Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Southern California Institute of Architecture's six-year graduation rate (58%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than SCI-Arc graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,500 vs. $46,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $28,554 lower median loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates ($14,196 vs. $42,750).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $296 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SCI-Arc graduates ($146 vs. $442).
• More SCI-Arc graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (62% 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.