California State University-Northridge vs. Southern California Seminary

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, CA with Southern California Seminary in El Cajon, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Northridge is larger than Southern California Seminary based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 161 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Southern California Seminary is in El Cajon, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern California Seminary is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; Southern California Seminary 9:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. Southern California Seminary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Southern California Seminary? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 11.7% lower than at Southern California Seminary ($13,804 vs. $15,633).
• Southern California Seminary is 155.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $11,622 more per year; $19,080.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at California State University-Northridge than at Southern California Seminary (about $978 more per year; $20,058.00 vs. $19,080.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Southern California Seminary (83% vs. 0%).

California State University-Northridge vs. Southern California Seminary Admissions comparison

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

• Southern California Seminary reports an open admissions policy.
• 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; Southern California Seminary - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.

California State University-Northridge vs. Southern California Seminary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• California State University Northridge's six-year graduation rate (46%) is higher than Southern California Seminary's (33%).
• Graduates from California State University Northridge have median earnings of about $47,500 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for Southern California Seminary.
• More California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern California Seminary students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 50%)

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.