WNC vs. CSU Channel Islands

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

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Location Carson City, NV Camarillo, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,188 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wnc.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $3,465 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $11,564 $17,622
Room & Board $14,156 $14,200
Avg Net Price $15,793 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $5,172 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 80%

Admission

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 10,082
Admitted - 9,382
Acceptance Rate Open 93.1%
Enrolled % Open 6.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.22
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (49%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate - 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $33,700 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,316 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $117 $156

Diversity

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
% Men 28% 3%
% Women 25% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 32%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 20% 49%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 99% 97%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

 WNC CSU Channel Islands
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 WNC based on total student enrollment (5,688 students vs. 4,188 students)

WNC vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Channel Islands is 65.7% more expensive to attend than WNC for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $3,465.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Western Nevada College ($17,622.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than WNC ($10,931 vs. $15,793)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Nevada College are 0.3% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($14,156 vs. $14,200)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Western Nevada College as California State University Channel Islands (80% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 147.6% larger than aid received Western Nevada College ($12,804 vs. $5,172)

Which college is harder to get into, WNC 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 WNC .

WNC vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WNC 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 WNC.

  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $12,400 more per year than WNC graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $33,700)
  • Western Nevada College students graduate with a $3,867 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU Channel Islands graduates. ($11,316 vs. $15,183)
  • WNC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than CSU Channel Islands graduates. ($117 vs. $156)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WNC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 30%)

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