ESU vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to Emporia State University or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ESU or CSU Channel Islands is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Emporia State University vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
Emporia State University California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
Emporia State University California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Location Emporia, KS Camarillo, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,324 6,128
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emporia.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $5,278 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $13,195 $17,622
Room & Board $9,308 $16,300
Avg Net Price $14,854 $13,540
Avg Grant Aid $5,345 $9,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 72%

Admission

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,846 10,420
Admitted 1,766 9,342
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 89.7%
Enrolled % 30.4% 6.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 43% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,419 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $200 $156

Diversity

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 33% 34%
% Women 67% 66%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 32%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 49%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 89% 99%
% Out-of-State 11% 1%

Campus

 ESU CSU Channel Islands
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Channel Islands is larger than than ESU based on total student enrollment (6,128 students vs. 5,324 students)

ESU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or CSU Channel Islands?

  • California State University Channel Islands is 8.8% more expensive to attend than ESU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,278.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.6% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Emporia State University ($17,622.00 vs. $13,195.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than ESU ($13,540 vs. $14,854)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 75.1% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($9,308 vs. $16,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emporia State University than California State University Channel Islands (89% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 76.1% larger than aid received Emporia State University ($9,412 vs. $5,345)

ESU vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or CSU Channel Islands? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSU Channel Islands or ESU .

  • Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • ESU has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than CSU Channel Islands (89.7%)

ESU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ESU or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands and ESU .

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than Emporia State University (54% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $7,100 more per year than ESU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $39,000)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $4,236 lower median federal student loan debt than ESU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $19,419)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than ESU graduates. ($156 vs. $200)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/