Utah State University (USU) vs California State University-Northridge (CSUN)

Utah State University and California State University-Northridge, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Utah State, nestled in the picturesque Logan, boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating its selectivity. In contrast, CSUN, situated in the vibrant San Fernando Valley, welcomes a more diverse student body, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity. While both universities excel in various disciplines, Utah State is renowned for its engineering and agriculture programs, while CSUN shines in the arts, media, and business fields. With different graduation rates, these universities cater to students with varying academic goals and aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your unique academic pursuits and personal preferences.
California State University-Northridge logo

California State University-Northridge

Utah State University logo

Utah State University

Overview

Location Northridge, California Logan, Utah
Campus setting City: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 74.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.1% 92.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $55
SAT range N/A 1080 - 1310
ACT range N/A 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 79.0%
Total number of applicants 23,656 15,567
Total number of admissions given out 20,842 14,420
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,716 4,223
Yield rate 22.6% 29.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $31,857

Out of state: $43,737
In state: $22,168

Out of state: $37,288
Average net price $8,708 $14,529
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $8,042

Out of state: $23,162
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,316

Meal plan: $4,506
Room/dormitory: $2,410

Meal plan: $3,630
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

82.0%
Average amount $10,882
86.0%
Average amount $9,802
Students receiving federal student loan 14.0%
Average amount $4,779
19.0%
Average amount $4,808
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,360
2.0%
Average amount $13,673

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 34,496
Men 45.0% Women 55.0%
24,255
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 5,612
Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
3,171
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students 1.7% 29.5%
International students 6.0% 1.4%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 4,029 3,125
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Hawaii Nevada Texas Utah Idaho California Colorado Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 26:1 21:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.2% 55.8%
Dropout rate 33.7% 42.1%
Transferred out 5.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $95,739
  • Year 3: $108,158
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,831
  • Year 2: $92,124
  • Year 3: $98,535
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,745
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $97,852
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,455
  • Year 2: $88,907
  • Year 3: $96,626
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,863
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $92,559
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $80,493
  • Year 3: $92,252
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,281
  • Year 2: $83,669
  • Year 3: $89,964
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,782
  • Year 2: $75,047
  • Year 3: $84,221
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,859
  • Year 2: $73,070
  • Year 3: $82,977
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,180
  • Year 2: $76,863
  • Year 3: $82,194
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,930
  • Year 3: $91,309
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,921
  • Year 2: $72,587
  • Year 3: $83,986
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,635
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $80,718
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,903
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $78,293
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,345
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $75,576
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,935
  • Year 2: $63,501
  • Year 3: $75,056
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,303
  • Year 2: $58,334
  • Year 3: $72,352
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,967
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $71,503
Air Transportation (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,228
  • Year 2: $35,416
  • Year 3: $70,839
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,717
  • Year 2: $61,728
  • Year 3: $69,682

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.