California State University-Northridge vs. Sonoma State University

Should I go to California State University Northridge or Sonoma State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California State University-Northridge or Sonoma State University 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 Northridge vs. Sonoma State University comparison
California State University Northridge Sonoma State University College 3 College 4
California State University Northridge Sonoma State University
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Overview

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
Location Northridge, CA Rohnert Park, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 37,579 6,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #900 #675
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csun.edu sonoma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $11,848 $14,926
Avg Net Price $8,936 $15,507
Avg Grant Aid $10,511 $7,287
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 77%

Admission

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,965 10,806
Admitted 23,687 10,158
Acceptance Rate 91.2% 94%
Enrolled % 21% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 17/23
SAT Range 900/1110 950/1150
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)

Outcomes

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
Graduation Rate 46% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $49,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,196 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $180

Diversity

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 23% 48%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 44% 29%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
% In-State 96% 97%
% Out-of-State 1% 3%

Campus

California State University-Northridge Sonoma State University
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

  • California State University Northridge is larger than than Sonoma State University based on total student enrollment (37,579 students vs. 6,637 students)

California State University-Northridge vs. Sonoma State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Northridge or Sonoma State University?

  • California State University Northridge and Sonoma State University 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 Sonoma State University ($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 Sonoma State University ($8,936 vs. $15,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 26% lower than costs at Sonoma State University ($11,848 vs. $14,926)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Northridge than Sonoma State University (82% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Northridge students is 44.2% larger than aid received Sonoma State University ($10,511 vs. $7,287)

California State University-Northridge vs. Sonoma State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Northridge or Sonoma State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Sonoma State University or California State University-Northridge .

  • The average SAT score at Sonoma State University (996) is 94 points higher than at California State University-Northridge (902)
  • Incoming Sonoma State University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at California State University-Northridge (19)
  • Accepted freshman Sonoma State University students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at California State University-Northridge (3.38)
  • Sonoma State University has a higher acceptance rate (94%) than California State University-Northridge (91.2%)

California State University-Northridge vs. Sonoma State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California State University-Northridge or Sonoma State University? 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 Sonoma State University and California State University-Northridge.

  • The graduation rate at Sonoma State University is higher than California State University Northridge (57% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Sonoma State University earn on average $1,800 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $47,500)
  • California State University Northridge students graduate with a $3,304 lower median federal student loan debt than Sonoma State University graduates. ($14,196 vs. $17,500)
  • California State University-Northridge graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Sonoma State University graduates. ($146 vs. $180)
  • More Sonoma State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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