NSU vs. CSUMB

Should I go to Northwestern State University of Louisiana or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or CSUMB 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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Northwestern State University of Louisiana vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
Northwestern State University of Louisiana California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
Northwestern State University of Louisiana California State University Monterey Bay
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Overview

NSU CSUMB
Location Natchitoches, LA Seaside, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,389 7,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $17,622
Room & Board $10,269 $16,262
Avg Net Price $14,238 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 66%

Admission

NSU CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 12,568
Admitted 2,843 11,611
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 92.4%
Enrolled % 35.9% 7.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 17/23
SAT Range 955/1135 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024

Academics

NSU CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

NSU CSUMB
Graduation Rate 37% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $144

Diversity

NSU CSUMB
% Men 29% 38%
% Women 71% 62%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 31%
% Black 31% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 43%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

NSU CSUMB
% In-State 98% 96%
% Out-of-State 2% 2%

Campus

NSU CSUMB
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (9,389 students vs. 7,045 students)

NSU vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or CSUMB?

  • California State University Monterey Bay is 10.8% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.4% higher at CSUMB than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($17,622.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than NSU ($11,435 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 58.4% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,269 vs. $16,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than California State University Monterey Bay (89% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 9.2% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($9,499 vs. $8,702)

NSU vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NSU or CSUMB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSUMB or NSU .

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than CSUMB (92.4%)

NSU vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or CSUMB? 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 CSUMB and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSUMB is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (38% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $7,200 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $38,100)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $7,531 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,531)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($144 vs. $222)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 46%)

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