CSU vs. IU Northwest

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

 CSU IU Northwest
Location Chico, CA Gary, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 14,183 3,198
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU IU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,634
Room & Board $15,212 $9,412
Avg Net Price $15,517 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 80%

Admission

 CSU IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 1,915
Admitted 20,347 1,538
Acceptance Rate 95% 80.3%
Enrolled % 9.9% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/25
SAT Range 970/1170 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023

Academics

 CSU IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 CSU IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 59% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $175 $258

Diversity

 CSU IU Northwest
% Men 45% 25%
% Women 55% 75%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 55%
% Black 2% 18%
% Hispanic 29% 20%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 CSU IU Northwest
% In-State 97% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

 CSU IU Northwest
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 3,198 students)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or IU Northwest?

  • Indiana University Northwest is 26.7% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($7,274.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.1% higher at IU Northwest than California State University Chico ($20,634.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than CSU ($6,553 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 61.6% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($9,412 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Northwest than California State University Chico (80% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 4.7% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($9,162 vs. $8,754)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California State University Chico (1003) is 75 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming CSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or IU Northwest? 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 IU Northwest and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Indiana University Northwest (59% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $12,900 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $39,500)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $8,030 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,030)
  • CSU graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($175 vs. $258)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 33%)

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