CSU vs. TU

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

 CSU TU
Location Chico, CA Towson, MD
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 14,183 19,793
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #445
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu towson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU TU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,238
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $23,240
Room & Board $15,212 $13,642
Avg Net Price $15,517 $14,443
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $11,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 74%

Admission

 CSU TU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 17,770
Admitted 20,347 13,967
Acceptance Rate 95% 78.6%
Enrolled % 9.9% 19.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 970/1170 1010/1230
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 CSU TU
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 (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 CSU TU
Graduation Rate 59% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $17,750
Median Loan Payment $175 $183

Diversity

 CSU TU
% Men 45% 39%
% Women 55% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 46% 61%
% Black 2% 18%
% Hispanic 29% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

 CSU TU
% In-State 97% 89%
% Out-of-State 2% 8%

Campus

 CSU TU
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

  • Towson University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or TU?

  • Towson University is 26.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($7,238.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.9% higher at TU than California State University Chico ($23,240.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than CSU ($14,443 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Towson University are 11.5% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($13,642 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Towson University than California State University Chico (74% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 24.6% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($11,415 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 78 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming TU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than TU (78.6%)

CSU vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than California State University Chico (64% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $1,100 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than TU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $17,750)
  • CSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than TU graduates. ($175 vs. $183)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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