CSU vs. Cal State LA

Should I go to California State University Chico or California State University Los Angeles? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or Cal State LA 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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California State University Chico vs. California State University Los Angeles comparison
California State University Chico California State University Los Angeles College 3 College 4
California State University Chico California State University Los Angeles
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Overview

 CSU Cal State LA
Location Chico, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 26,460
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu calstatela.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Cal State LA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $17,998
Avg Net Price $15,517 $5,801
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $10,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 91%

Admission

 CSU Cal State LA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 33,939
Admitted 20,347 29,507
Acceptance Rate 95% 86.9%
Enrolled % 9.9% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 15/20
SAT Range 970/1170 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Jan 19, 2024

Academics

 CSU Cal State LA
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 CSU Cal State LA
Graduation Rate 59% 36%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $46,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $12,920
Median Loan Payment $175 $133

Diversity

 CSU Cal State LA
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 46% 7%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 29% 63%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

 CSU Cal State LA
% In-State 97% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

 CSU Cal State LA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Los Angeles is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Cal State LA?

  • California State University Chico and Cal State LA cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU as California State University Los Angeles ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than CSU ($5,801 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 18.3% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($15,212 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than California State University Chico (91% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 19% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($10,907 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. Cal State LA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or Cal State LA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State LA or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Chico (1003) is 129 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming CSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)

CSU vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Cal State LA? 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 Cal State LA and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than California State University Los Angeles (59% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $5,500 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $4,080 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($12,920 vs. $17,000)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($133 vs. $175)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 57%)

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