California State University-Northridge vs. USD

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Northridge is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Northridge 25:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or USD? 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 USD ($7,536 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 30.7% lower than at University of San Diego ($13,804 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 697.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $52,028 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 196.6% higher at USD than at California State University Northridge (about $39,428 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at California State University Northridge (84% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 219.4% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($40,965 vs. $12,825).

California State University-Northridge vs. USD Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Northridge - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38).
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 12.4% at USD.

California State University-Northridge vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $22,700 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $8,708 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($14,196 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $90 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($146 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (78% 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.