CSU vs. CSUMB

Should I go to California State University Chico or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or CSUMB 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 Monterey Bay comparison
California State University Chico California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
California State University Chico California State University Monterey Bay
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Overview

 CSU CSUMB
Location Chico, CA Seaside, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,183 7,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $16,262
Avg Net Price $15,517 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 66%

Admission

 CSU CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 12,568
Admitted 20,347 11,611
Acceptance Rate 95% 92.4%
Enrolled % 9.9% 7.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 970/1170 960/1160
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 15, 2024

Academics

 CSU CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 CSU CSUMB
Graduation Rate 59% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $144

Diversity

 CSU CSUMB
% Men 45% 38%
% Women 55% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 31%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 29% 43%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

 CSU CSUMB
% In-State 97% 96%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

 CSU CSUMB
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 Chico is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 7,045 students)

CSU vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or CSUMB?

  • California State University Chico and CSUMB 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 Monterey Bay ($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 Monterey Bay than CSU ($11,435 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 6.9% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($15,212 vs. $16,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Monterey Bay than California State University Chico (66% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 5.3% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($9,162 vs. $8,702)

CSU vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than CSUMB (92.4%)

CSU vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or CSUMB? 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 CSUMB and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (59% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $7,100 more per year than CSUMB graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $45,300)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $17,000)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($144 vs. $175)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUMB students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)

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