Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Caltech Cal State Long Beach UCSB San Jose State San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle Pomona UCI California State University-Fresno| California State University Northridge | California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | California State Polytechnic University Pomona | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
||
| Remove | Remove | Remove | +Add | |
Overview |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
| Location | Northridge, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA | Pomona, CA | |
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | Midsize City | |
| Enrollment | 37,760 | 22,485 | 26,848 | |
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #892 | #146 | #590 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | csun.edu | calpoly.edu | csupomona.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | $5,742 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | $17,622 | |
| Room & Board | $12,648 | $17,220 | $16,330 | |
| Avg Net Price | $8,222 | $16,888 | $11,898 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,000 | $12,707 | $10,441 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 48% | 72% |
Admission |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 29,789 | 63,736 | 45,775 | |
| Admitted | 27,748 | 18,964 | 33,737 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 93.1% | 29.8% | 73.7% | |
| Enrolled % | 20% | 27.8% | 12.8% | |
| Avg High School GPA | 3.38 | 4.0 | 3.69 | |
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A/A+ | B+ | |
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very High | Average | |
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 16/22 | 26/32 | 19/27 | |
| SAT Range | 900/1110 | 1220/1410 | 1010/1250 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 18:1 | 23:1 | |
| Popular Majors |
|
|
|
|
Outcomes |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
| Graduation Rate | 46% | 75% | 50% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,500 | $69,400 | $55,400 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 59% | 85% | 72% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,196 | $18,666 | $19,000 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $146 | $193 | $196 |
Diversity |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 2% | 4% | |
| % Women | 9% | 2% | 5% | |
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 23% | 57% | 19% | |
| % Black | 5% | 1% | 3% | |
| % Hispanic | 44% | 16% | 40% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 7% | 4% | |
| % International | 9% | 2% | 5% | |
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Students |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 86% | 98% | |
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 14% | 1% | |
Campus |
California State University-Northridge | Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | No | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Northridge is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (37,760 students vs. 22,485 students)
California State University-Northridge vs. Cal Poly Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Cal Poly?
- California State University Northridge and Cal Poly cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at California State University-Northridge as California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Northridge than Cal Poly ($8,222 vs. $16,888)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 36.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,648 vs. $17,220)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Northridge than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (82% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 5.9% larger than aid received California State University Northridge ($12,707 vs. $12,000)
California State University-Northridge vs. Cal Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or Cal Poly? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal Poly or California State University-Northridge .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 357 points higher than at California State University-Northridge (902)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at California State University-Northridge (19)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.62 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38)
- California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)
California State University-Northridge vs. Cal Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, California State University-Northridge or Cal Poly? 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 Cal Poly and California State University-Northridge.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State University Northridge (75% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $21,900 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $47,500)
- California State University Northridge students graduate with a $4,470 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($14,196 vs. $18,666)
- California State University-Northridge graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($146 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 59%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/