Cal State LA vs. Los Angeles College of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA with Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Los Angeles is larger than Los Angeles College of Music based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 261 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); Los Angeles College of Music is in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting).
• California State University Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Los Angeles College of Music is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Los Angeles 21:1; Los Angeles College of Music 3:1.

Cal State LA vs. Los Angeles College of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or Los Angeles College of Music? 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 Los Angeles College of Music ($4,460 vs. $44,586).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Los Angeles are 10.8% lower than at Los Angeles College of Music ($19,696 vs. $22,086).
• Los Angeles College of Music is 326.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State LA (about $23,380 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $7,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 54.6% higher at Los Angeles College of Music than at California State University Los Angeles (about $10,780 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $19,760.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than at Los Angeles College of Music (94% vs. 72%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 149.9% larger than aid received by Los Angeles College of Music students ($13,824 vs. $5,532).

Cal State LA vs. Los Angeles College of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or Los Angeles College of Music? 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 Los Angeles College of Music and Cal State LA.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Los Angeles 870/1060.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Los Angeles 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State LA - Test-free; Los Angeles College of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027.
• Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than Los Angeles College of Music (87.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.4% at Cal State LA vs. 18.1% at Los Angeles College of Music.

Cal State LA vs. Los Angeles College of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State LA and Los Angeles College of Music? 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).

• More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles College of Music students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 49%)

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.