Cal Poly Humboldt vs California State University-San Bernardino (CSUSB)

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) and California State University-San Bernardino (CSUSB) are two distinct universities within the California State University system, each offering unique educational experiences. Cal Poly Humboldt, nestled in the scenic redwood forests of Arcata, boasts a strong focus on environmental studies and natural resources, while CSUSB, located in the vibrant city of San Bernardino, emphasizes business and public administration. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to diverse student populations and academic interests. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your aspirations and goals, considering factors such as location, academic offerings, and campus culture.
California State University-San Bernardino logo

California State University-San Bernardino

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Overview

Location San Bernardino, California Arcata, California
Campus setting City: Midsize Town: Remote
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 78.0% 74.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.0% 91.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
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 13,057 7,013
Total number of admissions given out 11,878 6,414
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,001 629
Yield rate 16.8% 9.8%
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

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,409

Out of state: $40,289
In state: $25,668

Out of state: $37,548
Average net price $3,254 $13,904
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,644

Meal plan: $3,000
Room/dormitory: $6,638

Meal plan: $5,600
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $10,157
75.0%
Average amount $9,716
Students receiving federal student loan 12.0%
Average amount $4,553
36.0%
Average amount $4,831
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $8,949
1.0%
Average amount $12,255

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 16,858
Men 37.6% Women 62.4%
5,354
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
Graduate students 2,656
Men 32.9% Women 67.1%
554
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 0.6% 7.0%
International students 5.4% 1.3%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,482 2,069
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Arizona Hawaii Minnesota California Oregon Washington Colorado Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 25:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 57.0% 47.5%
Dropout rate 36.1% 42.0%
Transferred out 1.2% 7.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,025
  • Year 2: $88,739
  • Year 3: $91,007
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,100
  • Year 2: $86,356
  • Year 3: $89,781
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,052
  • Year 2: $72,214
  • Year 3: $79,205
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,968
  • Year 2: $65,066
  • Year 3: $71,975
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,962
  • Year 2: $64,358
  • Year 3: $68,388
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,267
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $66,764
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,496
  • Year 2: $52,524
  • Year 3: $66,429
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,356
  • Year 2: $56,867
  • Year 3: $64,336
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,681
  • Year 2: $58,503
  • Year 3: $63,478
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,337
  • Year 2: $46,966
  • Year 3: $58,366
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,497
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $69,150
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,856
  • Year 2: $48,265
  • Year 3: $60,145
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $58,243
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,405
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,583
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,805
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,240
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,362
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,717
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,892
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $42,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,215
  • Year 2: $36,294
  • Year 3: $41,528
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,882
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $39,496
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,867
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $37,639

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.