CSU vs. Menlo

Should I go to California State University Chico or Menlo College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or Menlo 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Sacramento State San Francisco State Humboldt State University San Jose State UC Merced Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno Cal State East Bay UC Davis Cal Poly San Diego State
California State University Chico vs. Menlo College comparison
California State University Chico Menlo College College 3 College 4
California State University Chico
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 CSU Menlo
Location Chico, CA Atherton, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,183 800
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #659
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu menlo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Menlo
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $48,260
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $48,260
Room & Board $15,212 $16,250
Avg Net Price $15,517 $29,151
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $34,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 100%

Admission

 CSU Menlo
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 3,357
Admitted 20,347 2,072
Acceptance Rate 95% 61.7%
Enrolled % 9.9% 9.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 970/1170
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 CSU Menlo
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (67%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Psychology (1%)

Outcomes

 CSU Menlo
Graduation Rate 59% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $53,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $21,062
Median Loan Payment $175 $217

Diversity

 CSU Menlo
% Men 45% 56%
% Women 55% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 29%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 29% 22%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 3% 14%
% Unknown Race 7% 9%

Students

 CSU Menlo
% In-State 97% 49%
% Out-of-State 2% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than Menlo based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 800 students)

CSU vs. Menlo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Menlo?

  • Menlo College is 740.5% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($48,260.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 173.9% higher at Menlo than California State University Chico ($48,260.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than Menlo ($15,517 vs. $29,151)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 6.8% lower than costs at Menlo College ($15,212 vs. $16,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Menlo College than California State University Chico (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 278% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($34,632 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. Menlo Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Menlo College (1018) is 15 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming CSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Menlo (22)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Menlo (3.3)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Menlo (61.7%)

CSU vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Menlo College (59% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Menlo College earn on average $1,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $4,062 lower median federal student loan debt than Menlo graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,062)
  • CSU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Menlo graduates. ($175 vs. $217)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 55%)

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