RU vs. CSUMB

Should I go to Radford University or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RU or CSUMB 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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Radford University vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
Radford University California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
Radford University California State University Monterey Bay
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Overview

RU CSUMB
Location Radford, VA Seaside, CA
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,718 7,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566 #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $8,156 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $17,622
Room & Board $10,567 $16,262
Avg Net Price $17,105 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,733 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 66%

Admission

RU CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,442 12,568
Admitted 10,680 11,611
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 92.4%
Enrolled % 11.5% 7.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23 17/23
SAT Range 960/1160 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

RU CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

RU CSUMB
Graduation Rate 56% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $144

Diversity

RU CSUMB
% Men 33% 38%
% Women 67% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 31%
% Black 13% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

RU CSUMB
% In-State 89% 96%
% Out-of-State 11% 2%

Campus

RU CSUMB
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

  • Radford University is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 7,045 students)

RU vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or CSUMB?

  • Radford University is 42% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.9% higher at RU than California State University Monterey Bay ($20,246.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than RU ($11,435 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 53.9% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,567 vs. $16,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than California State University Monterey Bay (96% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 11.8% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($9,733 vs. $8,702)

RU vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than CSUMB (92.4%)

RU vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RU or CSUMB? 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 CSUMB and RU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (56% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $2,100 more per year than CSUMB graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $45,300)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $23,000)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($144 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUMB students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)

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