WSSU vs. CSU Channel Islands

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

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
Location Winston-Salem, NC Camarillo, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,776 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #953
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $17,622
Room & Board $11,484 $14,200
Avg Net Price $12,948 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $9,254 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 80%

Admission

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,273 10,082
Admitted 6,357 9,382
Acceptance Rate 68.6% 93.1%
Enrolled % 13.9% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.22
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 41% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $265 $156

Diversity

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 9% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 32%
% Black 72% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 49%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

 WSSU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 77% 97%
% Out-of-State 22% 1%

Campus

 WSSU 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 WSSU based on total student enrollment (5,688 students vs. 4,776 students)

WSSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Channel Islands is 68.8% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.4% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Winston Salem State University ($17,622.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than WSSU ($10,931 vs. $12,948)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 23.7% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($11,484 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Winston Salem State University than California State University Channel Islands (88% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 38.4% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($12,804 vs. $9,254)

WSSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU 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 WSSU .

  • Accepted freshman CSU Channel Islands students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.22) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than WSSU (68.6%)

WSSU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU 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 WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than Winston Salem State University (54% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $10,400 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $35,700)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $10,480 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $25,663)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $109 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($156 vs. $265)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 33%)

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