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Sonoma State University San Francisco State Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus San Jose State Humboldt State University CSU UCSC UC Merced Sacramento State Cal State Long Beach PennWest Clarion CSU Channel Islands| PennWest California | California State University Monterey Bay | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
| Location | California, PA | Seaside, CA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 6,509 | 7,045 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1033 | #861 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calu.edu | csumb.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,716 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $11,574 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,416 | $16,262 | ||
| Avg Net Price | - | $11,435 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $0 | $8,702 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 0% | 66% |
Admission |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 12,568 | ||
| Admitted | - | 11,611 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.4% | |||
| Enrolled % | 7.8% | |||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.45 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 17/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1150 | 960/1160 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Aug 22, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 20:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
| Graduation Rate | 53% | 38% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,500 | $45,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $14,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $144 |
Diversity |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 39% | 38% | ||
| % Women | 61% | 62% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 43% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 7% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 96% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 2% | ||
Campus |
PennWest California | CSUMB | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Monterey Bay is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (7,045 students vs. 6,509 students)
PennWest California vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or CSUMB?
- PennWest California is 34.4% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at CSUMB than PennWest California ($17,622.00 vs. $11,574.00)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 56.1% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,416 vs. $16,262)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Monterey Bay than PennWest California (66% vs. 0%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($8,702 vs. $0)
Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or CSUMB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSUMB or PennWest California .
- Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at PennWest California (3.31)
PennWest California vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, PennWest California or CSUMB? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CSUMB and PennWest California.
- The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (53% vs. 38%)
- Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $2,800 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $42,500)
- California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $11,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($14,000 vs. $25,000)
- CSUMB graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($144 vs. $258)
- More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California 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/