VSU vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to Virginia State University or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VSU 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.
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Virginia State University vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
Virginia State University California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
Virginia State University California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Location Petersburg, VA Camarillo, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,190 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vsu.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $5,540 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,038 $17,622
Room & Board $12,966 $14,200
Avg Net Price $16,184 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $12,300 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 80%

Admission

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,577 10,082
Admitted 9,424 9,382
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 93.1%
Enrolled % 15.4% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 2.85 3.22
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/20
SAT Range 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 40% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 28% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $29,500 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $305 $156

Diversity

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 4% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 32%
% Black 87% 2%
% Hispanic 2% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 66% 97%
% Out-of-State 33% 1%

Campus

 VSU CSU Channel Islands
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Channel Islands is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (5,688 students vs. 5,190 students)

VSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Channel Islands is 3.6% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Virginia State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than VSU ($10,931 vs. $16,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 9.5% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($12,966 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than California State University Channel Islands (92% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 4.1% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($12,804 vs. $12,300)

VSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, VSU 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 VSU .

  • Accepted freshman CSU Channel Islands students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.22) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than VSU (89.1%)

VSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VSU 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 VSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than Virginia State University (54% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $9,400 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $36,700)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $14,317 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $29,500)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $149 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($156 vs. $305)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 28%)

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