UAFS vs. CSU Channel Islands

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Channel Islands is larger than UAFS based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 5,496 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); California State University Channel Islands is in Camarillo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Channel Islands is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; California State University Channel Islands 16:1.

UAFS vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or CSU Channel Islands? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than UAFS ($10,632 vs. $11,159).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 34.9% lower than at California State University Channel Islands ($10,082 vs. $15,490).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Channel Islands (about $175 more per year; $7,334.00 vs. $7,159.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62.2% higher at CSU Channel Islands than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $7,577 more per year; $19,759.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at California State University Channel Islands (95% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 62.4% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($12,528 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or CSU Channel Islands? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSU Channel Islands and UAFS.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; CSU Channel Islands - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Channel Islands Jul 30, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman UAFS students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22).
• CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than UAFS (80.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 6.2% at CSU Channel Islands.

UAFS vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and CSU Channel Islands? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Channel Islands's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn a median of about $11,100 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $1,051 lower median loan debt than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($14,132 vs. $15,183).
• Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($146 vs. $156).
• More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.