Sacramento State vs. CSU Channel Islands

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, CA with California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Sacramento is larger than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 5,592 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Sacramento is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); California State University Channel Islands is in Camarillo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Channel Islands is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Sacramento 24:1; California State University Channel Islands 16:1.

Sacramento State vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or CSU Channel Islands? 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 Sacramento than CSU Channel Islands ($10,110 vs. $10,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Channel Islands are 19.2% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($15,490 vs. $19,174).
• California State University Sacramento is 12% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Channel Islands (about $859 more per year; $8,018.00 vs. $7,159.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.3% higher at Sacramento State than at California State University Channel Islands (about $859 more per year; $20,618.00 vs. $19,759.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Sacramento than at California State University Channel Islands (82% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 1.9% larger than aid received by California State University Channel Islands students ($12,767 vs. $12,528).

Sacramento State vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands and Sacramento State.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sacramento State - Test-free; CSU Channel Islands - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; CSU Channel Islands Jul 30, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22).
• CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Sacramento State (94%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 6.2% at CSU Channel Islands.

Sacramento State vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sacramento State and CSU Channel Islands? 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).

• California State University Channel Islands's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from California State University Sacramento earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,000 vs. $46,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Channel Islands graduates have a $567 lower median loan debt than Sacramento State graduates ($15,183 vs. $15,750).
• Among borrowers, CSU Channel Islands graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sacramento State graduates ($156 vs. $162).
• More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)

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.