CSU vs. SCU

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

 CSU SCU
Location Chico, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 14,183 9,178
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #62
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU SCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $56,880
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $56,880
Room & Board $15,212 $17,112
Avg Net Price $15,517 $50,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $25,295
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 72%

Admission

 CSU SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 16,650
Admitted 20,347 8,677
Acceptance Rate 95% 52.1%
Enrolled % 9.9% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 29/33
SAT Range 970/1170 1290/1480
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 Jan 7, 2024

Academics

 CSU SCU
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%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 CSU SCU
Graduation Rate 59% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $222

Diversity

 CSU SCU
% Men 45% 50%
% Women 55% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 49%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 17%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

 CSU SCU
% In-State 97% 50%
% Out-of-State 2% 40%

Campus

 CSU SCU
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 SCU based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 9,178 students)

CSU vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or SCU?

  • Santa Clara University is 890.6% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 222.8% higher at SCU than California State University Chico ($56,880.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than SCU ($15,517 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 12.5% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($15,212 vs. $17,112)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than California State University Chico (72% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Clara University students is 176.1% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($25,295 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 310 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SCU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than SCU (52.1%)

CSU vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than California State University Chico (85% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $29,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,500)
  • CSU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($175 vs. $222)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 70%)

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