California State University-Northridge vs. Los Angeles College of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Northridge in Northridge, 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 Northridge is larger than Los Angeles College of Music based on total student enrollment (38,313 students vs. 261 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Northridge is located in Northridge, CA (Large City setting); Los Angeles College of Music is in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting).
• California State University Northridge 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 Northridge 25:1; Los Angeles College of Music 3:1.

California State University-Northridge vs. Los Angeles College of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge 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 Northridge than Los Angeles College of Music ($7,536 vs. $44,586).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 37.5% lower than at Los Angeles College of Music ($13,804 vs. $22,086).
• Los Angeles College of Music is 309.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $23,082 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 52.3% higher at Los Angeles College of Music than at California State University Northridge (about $10,482 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Los Angeles College of Music (83% vs. 72%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 131.8% larger than aid received by Los Angeles College of Music students ($12,825 vs. $5,532).

California State University-Northridge vs. Los Angeles College of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge 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 California State University-Northridge.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Northridge - Test-free; Los Angeles College of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than Los Angeles College of Music (87.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18% at California State University-Northridge vs. 18.1% at Los Angeles College of Music.

California State University-Northridge vs. Los Angeles College of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Northridge 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 California State University-Northridge graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles College of Music students, three years after graduation. (59% 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.