UW-Eau Claire vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to University of Wisconsin Eau Claire or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UW-Eau Claire 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. 

UW-La Crosse California State University-Northridge UW-Stout University of Wisconsin-Whitewater UWM University of Wisconsin-River Falls Wisconsin CSUMB CSU UWO Minnesota State University-Mankato UW-Green Bay
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire California State University Channel Islands
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
Location Eau Claire, WI Camarillo, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,991 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #563
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwec.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $7,645 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $16,884 $17,622
Room & Board $9,200 $14,200
Avg Net Price $15,323 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $3,800 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 80%

Admission

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,315 10,082
Admitted 7,848 9,382
Acceptance Rate 76.1% 93.1%
Enrolled % 27.6% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 65% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,900 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $240 $156

Diversity

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 4% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 89% 32%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 2% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

 UW-Eau Claire CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 67% 97%
% Out-of-State 32% 1%

Campus

 UW-Eau Claire 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

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (9,991 students vs. 5,688 students)

UW-Eau Claire vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UW-Eau Claire or CSU Channel Islands?

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is 33.1% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands for in-state tuition ($7,645.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at CSU Channel Islands than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($17,622.00 vs. $16,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than UW-Eau Claire ($10,931 vs. $15,323)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 54.3% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($9,200 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Channel Islands than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (80% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 236.9% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($12,804 vs. $3,800)

UW-Eau Claire vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UW-Eau Claire 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 UW-Eau Claire .

  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than UW-Eau Claire (76.1%)

UW-Eau Claire vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UW-Eau Claire 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 UW-Eau Claire.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than California State University Channel Islands (65% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn on average $1,800 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $46,100)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $8,067 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($15,183 vs. $23,250)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($156 vs. $240)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Channel Islands students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 66%)

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