NAU vs. Cal State LA

Should I go to Northern Arizona University or California State University Los Angeles? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NAU or Cal State LA 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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Northern Arizona University vs. California State University Los Angeles comparison
Northern Arizona University California State University Los Angeles College 3 College 4
Northern Arizona University California State University Los Angeles
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Overview

 NAU Cal State LA
Location Flagstaff, AZ Los Angeles, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 28,086 26,460
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nau.edu calstatela.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NAU Cal State LA
Tuition (In State) $11,024 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $26,286 $17,622
Room & Board $11,728 $17,998
Avg Net Price $17,115 $5,801
Avg Grant Aid $11,865 $10,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 NAU Cal State LA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 44,855 33,939
Admitted 35,881 29,507
Acceptance Rate 80% 86.9%
Enrolled % 15.5% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.31
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jan 19, 2025

Academics

 NAU Cal State LA
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 NAU Cal State LA
Graduation Rate 52% 36%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $46,900
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $12,920
Median Loan Payment $206 $133

Diversity

 NAU Cal State LA
% Men 37% 41%
% Women 63% 59%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 7%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 22% 63%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 NAU Cal State LA
% In-State 73% 99%
% Out-of-State 26% 0%

Campus

 NAU Cal State LA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Arizona University is larger than than Cal State LA based on total student enrollment (28,086 students vs. 26,460 students)

NAU vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NAU or Cal State LA?

  • Northern Arizona University is 92% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($11,024.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.2% higher at NAU than California State University Los Angeles ($26,286.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than NAU ($5,801 vs. $17,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Arizona University are 53.5% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($11,728 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than California State University Los Angeles (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 8.8% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($11,865 vs. $10,907)

NAU vs. Cal State LA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NAU or Cal State LA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State LA or NAU .

  • Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (86.9%) than NAU (80%)

NAU vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NAU or Cal State LA? 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 Cal State LA and NAU.

  • The graduation rate at NAU is higher than California State University Los Angeles (52% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn on average $3,000 more per year than NAU graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $43,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $7,080 lower median federal student loan debt than NAU graduates. ($12,920 vs. $20,000)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than NAU graduates. ($133 vs. $206)
  • More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NAU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 55%)

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