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California State University-Northridge

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · City · 32,691 students
WebsiteForbes rankingScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$7,021
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
57%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
54% typical
$59,115
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$55,177 typical
93%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
82% typical · not scored
Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
About

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is a dynamic public university best known for leveraging its Los Angeles location to provide exceptional career pipelines into the entertainment, business, and tech industries. The university is widely recognized for its prestigious Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication—home to one of the nation’s top-ranked film and television programs—as well as robust degrees in business, engineering, and health sciences. Student life reflects a diverse, ambitious, and predominantly commuter population that excels through hands-on learning and high rates of upward social mobility. Setting CSUN apart is its pioneering Deaf Studies program and the National Center on Deafness, which have made the campus a national leader in accessible education and disability support services.

Wikipedia:California State University, Northridge, is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. With a total enrollment of 36,960 students, it has the fourth largest total student body in the California State University system. The size of CSUN also has a major impact on the California economy, with an estimated $1.9 billion in economic output generated by CSUN on a yearly basis. As of fall 2025, the university had 2,085 faculty members, of which around 37% were tenured or on the tenure-track.

Location
Northridge, CA, 91330 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
LAX · Los Angeles
22 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$7,458$20,058
Housing & food (on campus)$13,804$13,804
Books & supplies$1,338$1,338
Cost of attendance$27,276$33,085 est.
Average net price$7,021Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$20,058
In-state: $7,458
Housing & food (on campus)$13,804
Books & supplies$1,338
Cost of attendance$33,085 est.
In-state: $27,276
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $7,021
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.csun.edu
How it’s made up · in-state, 2025-26
California State University-Northridge’s own figures for 2025-2026, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$7,850
Housing$8,720
Food$5,818
Books & supplies$1,370
Personal expenses$2,196
Transportation$1,246
Total published by the school$27,276
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$4,905
$30–48k
$5,450
$48–75k
$7,744
$75–110k
$11,262
$110k+
$18,040
Merit aid · 2024-25
Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.
Average award$2,085
First-years who got one3,262
Source: California State University-Northridge's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
57%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
28%
Back for yr 2
73%
Transferred
6%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
60% graduated · 20% transferred · 2% still enrolled · 18% left or unknown
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$44,372
10 yrs after entry$59,115
Debt
Median at graduation$13,872
Monthly payment$147
Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$20k
90th percentile$29,250
Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (larger programs): 54% graduate within 6 yrs, $55,177 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
93%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If California State University-Northridge asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 47%Women 53%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
25 : 1
Pell grant
56%
First-gen
54%
Family income
$22,839
Independent
27%
Veterans
0%
Age at entry
22.0
Part-time
16%
Race & ethnicity
White
18%
Hispanic
58%
Black
6%
Asian
9%
Two or more
3%
Non-resident
3%
Unknown
3%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division I without football · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Beach Volleyball
    Women's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Tennis
    Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Men's · Women's
  • Water Polo
    Women's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$44,372
After 10 yrs
$59,115
Business Administration, Management and Operations1100
Psychology, General980
Criminal Justice and Corrections439
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication430
Sociology424
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness397
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods329
Fine and Studio Arts324
Biology, General286
Public Health275
Computer Science258
Accounting and Related Services257
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities253
Communication and Media Studies235
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies188
Political Science and Government188
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$240M
Full-time faculty
43%
Faculty salary
$12,456/mo
Teaching spend
$8,003
per student
Federal loans
21%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (larger programs)
Research activity
Research college or university
$27M research spending · 11 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

Wondering if California State University-Northridge is the right fit for you?

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Financial aid & net cost estimates
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