Sac State vs California State University-Northridge (CSUN)
California State University-Sacramento (CSUS) and California State University-Northridge (CSUN) are two of the largest and most popular universities in the California State University system. Both offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as a diverse student body. However, there are some key differences between the two schools that prospective students should be aware of. For instance, CSUS has a higher acceptance rate than CSUN, and its student body is slightly more diverse. CSUN, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate and offers a wider range of popular majors, including business, engineering, and nursing. To help you make an informed decision about which school is the best fit for you, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that highlights the key differences between CSUS and CSUN.
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![]() California State University-Northridge |
![]() California State University-Sacramento |
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Overview |
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Location | Northridge, California | Sacramento, California |
Campus setting | City: Large | City: Large |
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% | 81.0% |
![]() |
No | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 88.1% | 93.7% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$70
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Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$70
|
SAT range | N/A | N/A |
ACT range | N/A | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | ||
Students submitting ACT score | ||
Total number of applicants | 23,656 | 22,706 |
Total number of admissions given out | 20,842 | 21,272 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 4,716 | 3,581 |
Yield rate | 22.6% | 16.8% |
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 | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$31,857
Out of state:
$43,737
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In state:
$31,488
Out of state:
$43,368
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Average net price | $8,708 | $7,778 |
Tuition |
In state:
$5,742
Out of state:
$17,622
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In state:
$5,742
Out of state:
$17,622
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Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$7,316
Meal plan:
$4,506
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Room/dormitory:
$7,744
Meal plan:
$5,030
|
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
82.0%
Average amount $10,882 |
80.0%
Average amount $9,769 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
14.0%
Average amount $4,779 |
18.0%
Average amount $4,607 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $12,360 |
0.0%
Average amount $12,368 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
34,496
Men 45.0% Women 55.0% |
29,451
Men 42.8% Women 57.2% |
Graduate students |
5,612
Men 33.0% Women 67.0% |
3,047
Men 32.9% Women 67.1% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 1.7% | 1.6% |
International students | 6.0% | 4.0% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 4,029 | 2,173 |
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 | California Washington Arizona Hawaii Alaska |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 26:1 | 25:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 54.2% | 57.5% |
Dropout rate | 33.7% | 32.1% |
Transferred out | 5.6% | 3.8% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
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