University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) vs California State University-Northridge (CSUN)

Nestled in the heart of Nevada, University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) and California State University-Northridge (CSUN), located in the vibrant San Fernando Valley, stand as two distinct beacons of higher education. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer unique experiences shaped by their diverse locations, student demographics, and academic strengths. UNR boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. CSUN, on the other hand, attracts a larger and more diverse student body, fostering a rich multicultural environment. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into the details of each university's acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
California State University-Northridge logo

California State University-Northridge

University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Overview

Location Northridge, California Reno, Nevada
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% 78.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.1% 88.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 1060 - 1270
ACT range N/A 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0%
Total number of applicants 23,656 9,421
Total number of admissions given out 20,842 8,306
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,716 3,412
Yield rate 22.6% 41.1%
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: $26,796

Out of state: $42,888
Average net price $8,708 $16,398
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $7,470

Out of state: $23,562
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,316

Meal plan: $4,506
Room/dormitory: $5,850

Meal plan: $5,792
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 $7,232
Students receiving federal student loan 14.0%
Average amount $4,779
29.0%
Average amount $5,001
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,360
4.0%
Average amount $12,013

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 34,496
Men 45.0% Women 55.0%
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 5,612
Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 1.7% 26.1%
International students 6.0% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 4,029 3,524
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 Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 26:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.2% 62.7%
Dropout rate 33.7% 34.1%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,685
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $89,037
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,780
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $86,482
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $82,783
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,402
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $78,990
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,203
  • Year 2: $66,169
  • Year 3: $77,729
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $75,701
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,757
  • Year 2: $69,161
  • Year 3: $74,927
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,629
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $73,298
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,591
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $71,617

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