NAU vs. California State University-San Bernardino

Should I go to Northern Arizona University or California State University San Bernardino? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NAU or California State University-San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino comparison
Northern Arizona University California State University San Bernardino College 3 College 4
Northern Arizona University California State University San Bernardino
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Overview

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
Location Flagstaff, AZ San Bernardino, CA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 28,086 19,803
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #902
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nau.edu csusb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
Tuition (In State) $11,024 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $26,286 $17,622
Room & Board $11,728 $13,779
Avg Net Price $17,115 $8,805
Avg Grant Aid $11,865 $9,871
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 44,855 15,501
Admitted 35,881 14,119
Acceptance Rate 80% 91.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 910/1080
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 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
Graduation Rate 52% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $46,800
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $16,500
Median Loan Payment $206 $170

Diversity

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
% Men 37% 37%
% Women 63% 63%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 14%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 22% 61%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 4% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
% In-State 73% 98%
% Out-of-State 26% 0%

Campus

NAU California State University-San Bernardino
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 California State University-San Bernardino based on total student enrollment (28,086 students vs. 19,803 students)

NAU vs. California State University-San Bernardino Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NAU or California State University-San Bernardino?

  • Northern Arizona University is 92% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino ($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 San Bernardino than NAU ($8,805 vs. $17,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Arizona University are 17.5% lower than costs at California State University San Bernardino ($11,728 vs. $13,779)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than California State University San Bernardino (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 20.2% larger than aid received California State University San Bernardino ($11,865 vs. $9,871)

NAU vs. California State University-San Bernardino Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at California State University-San Bernardino (3.41)
  • California State University-San Bernardino has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than NAU (80%)

NAU vs. California State University-San Bernardino Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NAU or California State University-San Bernardino? 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 California State University-San Bernardino and NAU.

  • The graduation rate at NAU is higher than California State University San Bernardino (52% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Bernardino earn on average $2,900 more per year than NAU graduates after ten years. ($46,800 vs. $43,900)
  • California State University San Bernardino students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NAU graduates. ($16,500 vs. $20,000)
  • California State University-San Bernardino graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than NAU graduates. ($170 vs. $206)
  • More NAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Bernardino students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 51%)

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