Plymouth vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to Plymouth State University or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Plymouth 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

California State University-Northridge KSC CSUMB CSU CSUDH UNH Manchester Southern New Hampshire University California State University-San Marcos Cal State East Bay Endicott College San Francisco State Sonoma State University
Plymouth State University vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
Plymouth State University California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
Plymouth State University California State University Channel Islands
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
Location Plymouth, NH Camarillo, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,839 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website plymouth.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $11,870 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $22,810 $17,622
Room & Board $12,104 $14,200
Avg Net Price $20,280 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $10,179 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 80%

Admission

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,421 10,082
Admitted 6,755 9,382
Acceptance Rate 91% 93.1%
Enrolled % 14.6% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.08 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) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 59% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $279 $156

Diversity

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
% Men 4% 3%
% Women 9% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 32%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 2% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 6%

Students

 Plymouth CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 46% 97%
% Out-of-State 51% 1%

Campus

 Plymouth 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 Plymouth based on total student enrollment (5,688 students vs. 3,839 students)

Plymouth vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • Plymouth State University is 106.7% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands for in-state tuition ($11,870.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.4% higher at Plymouth than California State University Channel Islands ($22,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than Plymouth ($10,931 vs. $20,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plymouth State University are 17.3% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($12,104 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Plymouth State University than California State University Channel Islands (99% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 25.8% larger than aid received Plymouth State University ($12,804 vs. $10,179)

Plymouth vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Plymouth 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 Plymouth .

  • Accepted freshman CSU Channel Islands students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.22) than students at Plymouth (3.08)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than Plymouth (91%)

Plymouth vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Plymouth 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 Plymouth.

  • The graduation rate at Plymouth is higher than California State University Channel Islands (59% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $3,900 more per year than Plymouth graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $42,200)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $11,817 lower median federal student loan debt than Plymouth graduates. ($15,183 vs. $27,000)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $123 less per month on federal student loans than Plymouth graduates. ($156 vs. $279)
  • More Plymouth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Channel Islands students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 66%)

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