CSUDH vs. Cal State LA

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with California State University Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Los Angeles is larger than CSUDH based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 15,182 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); California State University Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; California State University Los Angeles 21:1.

CSUDH vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH or Cal State LA? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than CSUDH ($4,460 vs. $9,175).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Dominguez Hills are 6.4% lower than at California State University Los Angeles ($18,444 vs. $19,696).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is 4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State LA (about $289 more per year; $7,449.00 vs. $7,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.5% higher at CSUDH than at California State University Los Angeles (about $289 more per year; $20,049.00 vs. $19,760.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than at California State University Dominguez Hills (94% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students is 0.9% larger than aid received by California State University Los Angeles students ($13,951 vs. $13,824).

CSUDH vs. Cal State LA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH or Cal State LA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cal State LA and CSUDH.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Los Angeles 870/1060.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Los Angeles 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; Cal State LA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Cal State LA students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• CSUDH has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Cal State LA (91.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 9.4% at Cal State LA.

CSUDH vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH and Cal State LA? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• California State University Los Angeles's six-year graduation rate (36%) is higher than California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn a median of about $100 more per year than CSUDH graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,900 vs. $46,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Los Angeles graduates have a $1,042 lower median loan debt than CSUDH graduates ($12,920 vs. $13,962).
• Among borrowers, Cal State LA graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSUDH graduates ($133 vs. $144).
• More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.