CSU vs. Texas State

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

 CSU Texas State
Location Chico, CA San Marcos, TX
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 14,183 38,171
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #667
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu txstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Texas State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $8,606
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,030
Room & Board $15,212 $11,460
Avg Net Price $15,517 $14,120
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 77%

Admission

 CSU Texas State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 28,908
Admitted 20,347 25,353
Acceptance Rate 95% 87.7%
Enrolled % 9.9% 30%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.38
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 970/1170 980/1180
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 Jun 1, 2024

Academics

 CSU Texas State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 CSU Texas State
Graduation Rate 59% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $21,250
Median Loan Payment $175 $219

Diversity

 CSU Texas State
% Men 45% 40%
% Women 55% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 49%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 29% 35%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 CSU Texas State
% In-State 97% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

 CSU Texas State
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

  • Texas State University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (38,171 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. Texas State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Texas State?

  • Texas State University is 49.9% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($8,606.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.7% higher at Texas State than California State University Chico ($20,030.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas State University than CSU ($14,120 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas State University are 32.7% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($11,460 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas State University than California State University Chico (77% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas State University students is 28.7% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($11,791 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. Texas State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Texas State University (1038) is 35 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming Texas State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Texas State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Texas State (87.7%)

CSU vs. Texas State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Texas State? 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 Texas State and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Texas State University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $3,200 more per year than Texas State graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $49,200)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Texas State graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,250)
  • CSU graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than Texas State graduates. ($175 vs. $219)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Texas State 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/