ATU vs. CSU Channel Islands

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

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
Location Russellville, AR Camarillo, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,487 5,688
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #927
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $5,995 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $11,989 $17,622
Room & Board $9,852 $14,200
Avg Net Price $11,443 $10,931
Avg Grant Aid $9,680 $12,804
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 80%

Admission

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
Applied 4,904 10,082
Admitted 4,722 9,382
Acceptance Rate 96.3% 93.1%
Enrolled % 31.1% 6.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24
SAT Range 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2026

Academics

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate 43% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $183 $156

Diversity

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 4% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 32%
% Black 10% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 49%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

 ATU CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 94% 97%
% Out-of-State 5% 1%

Campus

 ATU 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

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (9,487 students vs. 5,688 students)

ATU vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

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

  • Arkansas Tech University is 4.4% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands for in-state tuition ($5,995.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Arkansas Tech University ($17,622.00 vs. $11,989.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than ATU ($10,931 vs. $11,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 44.1% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($9,852 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arkansas Tech University than California State University Channel Islands (93% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 32.3% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($12,804 vs. $9,680)

ATU vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU 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 ATU .

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than CSU Channel Islands (93.1%)

ATU vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU 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 ATU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU Channel Islands is higher than Arkansas Tech University (54% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $9,000 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $37,100)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $2,567 lower median federal student loan debt than ATU graduates. ($15,183 vs. $17,750)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than ATU graduates. ($156 vs. $183)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 51%)

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