MWSU vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to Missouri Western State University or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MWSU 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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Missouri Western State University vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
Missouri Western State University California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
Location Saint Joseph, MO Camarillo, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,023 6,128
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website missouriwestern.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $6,540 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $13,550 $17,622
Room & Board $10,200 $16,300
Avg Net Price $11,917 $13,540
Avg Grant Aid $10,531 $9,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 72%

Admission

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 10,420
Admitted - 9,342
Acceptance Rate Open 89.7%
Enrolled % Open 6.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.22
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 27% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,500 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,818 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $225 $156

Diversity

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 38% 34%
% Women 62% 66%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 32%
% Black 10% 2%
% Hispanic 1% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 MWSU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 82% 99%
% Out-of-State 17% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Channel Islands is larger than than MWSU based on total student enrollment (6,128 students vs. 4,023 students)

MWSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • Missouri Western State University is 13.9% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands for in-state tuition ($6,540.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.1% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Missouri Western State University ($17,622.00 vs. $13,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Western State University than CSU Channel Islands ($11,917 vs. $13,540)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Western State University are 59.8% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($10,200 vs. $16,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Western State University than California State University Channel Islands (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Missouri Western State University students is 11.9% larger than aid received California State University Channel Islands ($10,531 vs. $9,412)

Which college is harder to get into, MWSU 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 MWSU .

  • Accepted freshman MWSU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)

MWSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MWSU 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 MWSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than Missouri Western State University (54% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $9,600 more per year than MWSU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $36,500)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $6,635 lower median federal student loan debt than MWSU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $21,818)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than MWSU graduates. ($156 vs. $225)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MWSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

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