Find out everything you need to know about California State University, Northridge. Find out where it ranks, what majors it offers, how diverse it is, and more. If you want to read more about a particular statistic, simply click on its tile to be sent to a new page that delves deeper into the subject. You may also click one of the links below to get to any area of this website.
Keep reading to see detailed information on csula acceptance rate, csun tuition, csun acceptance rate transfer, and csun application.
How Well Is California State University – Northridge Ranked?
#89 1BEST COLLEGES IN NATION
#74BEST COLLEGES IN CA
Business Administration & Management
HIGHEST RANKED MAJOR
2021 Rankings
In its yearly rankings, College Factual analyzes over 2,000 colleges and universities to determine which ones are the best in a variety of categories, such as overall value, quality, diversity, which schools are the best for each major, and much more.
California State University – Northridge was awarded 106 badges in the 2021 rankings. The highest ranked major at the school is business administration and management.
Overall Quality
CSUN landed the #891 spot in College Factual’s 2021 ranking of best overall colleges in the United States. The higher ed experts analyzed 1,715 colleges and universities across the nation to determine this ranking.
Out of the 116 colleges in California, CSUN is ranked at #74.
Is It Hard to Get Into CSUN?
58% ACCEPTANCE RATE
58% OF ACCEPTED ARE WOMEN
91% SUBMIT SAT SCORES
Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate at California State University – Northridge is a competitive 58%, so make sure you take your application seriously when putting it together. Even leaving out a minor detail could be a reason to move you to the rejection pile.
Average Test Scores
About 91% of students accepted to CSUN submitted their SAT scores. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 460 and 570. Math scores were between 450 and 550.SAT Reading and Writing Scores for California State University – Northridge ( 460 to 570 )200800SAT Math Scores for California State University – Northridge ( 450 to 550 )200800CSUN received ACT scores from 24% of accepted students. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, ACT Composite scores ranged between 17 and 22.ACT Composite Scores for California State University – Northridge ( 17 to 22 )136
California State University – Northridge Faculty
26 to 1STUDENT TO FACULTY
45% FULL TIME TEACHERS
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student to faculty ratio is often used as a measure to gauge how much access students will have to their professors – the lower the number, the better. At California State University – Northridge, this rate is 26 to 1, which is high when compared to the national average of 15 to 1.
Percent of Full-Time Faculty
When estimating how much access students will have to their teachers, some people like to look at what percentage of faculty members are full time. This is because part-time teachers may not have as much time to spend on campus as their full-time counterparts.
The full-time faculty percentage at California State University – Northridge is 45%. This is comparable to the national average of 47%.Full-Time Faculty Percent 45 out of 1000100
Retention and Graduation Rates at California State University – Northridge
80% FRESHMEN RETENTION
11% ON-TIME GRADUATION RATE
Freshmen Retention Rate
The freshmen retention rate of 80% tells us that most first-year, full-time students like California State University – Northridge enough to come back for another year. This is a fair bit higher than the national average of 68%. That’s certainly something to check off in the good column about the school.
Graduation Rate
The on-time graduation rate is the percent of first-time, full time students who obtain their bachelor’s degree in four years or less. This rate is 11% for first-time, full-time students at CSUN, which is lower than the national rate of 33.3%.On-Time Graduation Rate 11 out of 1000100
Good Overall Diversity at CSUN
29,320 FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATES
70.3 % RACIAL-ETHNIC MINORITIES
During the 2017-2018 academic year, there were 34,799 undergraduates at CSUN with 29,320 being full-time and 5,479 being part-time.
CSUN Diversity Score
College Factual computes an overall diversity score for each college and university that takes gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and age into account. Schools with the best mixtures of students with respect to these factors are ranked the highest, and those that cater to just one or two student groups are ranked the lowest.
The overall diversity score for CSUN is 81.50 out of 100, meaning that is is more diverse than most schools in the country.
How Much Does California State University – Northridge Cost?
$8,243 NET PRICE 32%
TAKE OUT LOANS $20,032
TOTAL STUDENT LOANS
The overall average net price of CSUN is $8,243. The affordability of the school largely depends on your financial need since net price varies by income group. See the table below for the net price for different income groups.
Net Price by Income Group for CSUN
| $0-30 K | $30K-48K | $48-75 | $75-110K | $110K + |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,767 | $6,943 | $11,046 | $15,292 | $17,892 |
The net price is calculated by adding tuition, room, board and other costs and subtracting financial aid.Note that the net price is typically less than the published for a school.
Student Loan Debt
While almost two-thirds of students nationwide take out loans to pay for college, the percentage may be quite different for the school you plan on attending. At CSUN, approximately 32% of students took out student loans averaging $5,008 a year. That adds up to $20,032 over four years for those students.
The student loan default rate at CSUN is 3.7%. This is significantly lower than the national default rate of 10.1%, which is a good sign that you’ll be able to pay back your student loans.
How Much Money Do CSUN Graduates Make?
$45,400AVG SALARY OF GRADS
High EARNINGS BOOST
Although some majors pay more than others, students who graduate from CSUN with a bachelor’s degree go on to jobs where they make an average salary of $45,400 in their early years. That’s great news for CSUN students since it is 14% more than the average college graduate’s salary of $39,802 per year.
Contact details for CSUN are given below.
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge, CA 91330 |
| Phone: | 818-677-1200 |
| Website: | https://www.csun.edu |
| Facebook: | http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northridge-CA/California-State-University-Northridge/6684699242 |
| Twitter: | http://twitter.com/csunorthridge |
California State University – Northridge Majors
72 MAJORS WITH COMPLETIONS 9,062
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES 1,731GRADUATE DEGREES
During the most recent year for which we have data, students from 72 majors graduated from California State University – Northridge. Of these students, 9,062 received undergraduate degrees and 1,731 graduated with a master’s or doctor’s degree. The following table lists the most popular undergraduate majors along with the average salary graduates from those majors make.
| Most Popular Majors | Bachelor’s Degrees | Average Salary of Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| General Psychology | 885 | $25,700 |
| Business Administration & Management | 684 | $38,600 |
| Sociology | 539 | $30,900 |
| Health & Physical Education | 479 | $26,300 |
| Radio, Television & Digital Communication | 399 | $25,700 |
| Marketing | 395 | $36,900 |
| Finance & Financial Management | 365 | $37,900 |
| Liberal Arts General Studies | 361 | $31,000 |
| Communication & Media Studies | 354 | $32,200 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 349 | NA |
Online Learning at CSUN
52% TAKE AT LEAST ONE CLASS ONLINE 3% TAKE ALL CLASSES ONLINE
Online courses area a great option for busy, working students as well as for those who have scheduling conflicts and want to study on their own time. As time goes by, expect to see more and more online learning options become available.
In 2017-2018, 20,755 students took at least one online class at California State University – Northridge. This is an increase from the 20,127 students who took online classes the previous year.
| Year | Took at Least One Online Class | Took All Classes Online |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-2018 | 20,755 | 1,304 |
| 2016-2017 | 20,127 | 1,112 |
| 2015-2016 | 17,384 | 369 |
| 2014-2015 | 16,130 | 418 |
| 2013-2014 | 9,152 | 348 |
Cal State Northridge GPA Requirements
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school’s average GPA for its current students.
Average GPA: 3.35
The average GPA at Cal State Northridge is 3.35.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.35, Cal State Northridge accepts below-average students. It’s OK to be a B-average student, with some A’s mixed in. It’d be best to avoid C’s and D’s, since application readers might doubt whether you can handle the stress of college academics.
If you’re currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.35, you’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to Cal State Northridge. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
Cal State Northridge SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score.
Average SAT: 1030
The average SAT score composite at Cal State Northridge is a 1030 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes Cal State Northridge Lightly Competitive for SAT test scores.
Cal State Northridge SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 930, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1130. In other words, a 930 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1130 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 510 | 460 | 560 |
| Reading + Writing | 520 | 470 | 570 |
| Composite | 1030 | 930 | 1130 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
Cal State Northridge has the Score Choice policy of “Highest Section.”
This is also known as “superscoring.” This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit.
Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.
For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:
| Section | R+W | Math | Composite |
| Test 1 | 700 | 300 | 1000 |
| Test 2 | 300 | 700 | 1000 |
| Test 3 | 300 | 300 | 600 |
| Superscore | 700 | 700 | 1400 |
Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, Cal State Northridge will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.
This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Cal State Northridge forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.
Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1030, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.
Cal State Northridge ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, Cal State Northridge likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT: 19
The average ACT score at Cal State Northridge is 19. This score makes Cal State Northridge Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 16, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 22.
Even though Cal State Northridge likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 16 or below, you’ll have a harder time getting in, unless you have something else impressive in your application.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you’re taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school’s ACT requirement of 19 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you’re happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren’t able to find the school’s exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Cal State Northridge, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 19.
SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Both the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section.
Cal State Northridge hasn’t reported their stance on SAT Essay/ACT Writing, but most likely they consider it to be optional. Thus you don’t need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you’re applying to may require it.
SAT Subject Test Requirements
Schools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not.
We did not find information that Cal State Northridge requires SAT subject tests, and so most likely it does not. At least 6 months before applying, you should still doublecheck just to make sure, so you have enough time to take the test.
Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring a 1130 SAT or a 22 ACT or above will nearly guarantee you admission. Because the school admits 50.6% of all applicants, being far above average raises the admission rate for you to nearly 100%.
If you can achieve a high SAT/ACT score, the rest of your application essentially doesn’t matter. You still need to meet the rest of the application requirements, and your GPA shouldn’t be too far off from the school average of 3.35. But you won’t need dazzling extracurriculars and breathtaking letters of recommendation to get in. You can get in based on the merits of your score alone.
We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.
Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at California State University Northridge?Chances of admission with these scores:50.6%
Here’s our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
- 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
- 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
- 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
- 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
- 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
Scholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program.
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Application Requirements
Every school requires an application with the bare essentials – high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We’ll cover the exact requirements of Cal State Northridge here.
Application Requirements Overview
- Common Application Not accepted
- Universal Application Not accepted
- Electronic Application Available
- Essay or Personal Statement
- Letters of Recommendation
- Interview Not required
- Application Fee$55
- Fee Waiver Available? Available
- Other Notes
Testing Requirements
- SAT or ACTRequired
- SAT Essay or ACT WritingNone
- SAT Subject Tests
- Scores Due in OfficeJanuary 15
Coursework Requirements
- SubjectRequired Years
- English4
- Math3
- Science2
- Foreign Language2
- Social Studies1
- History1
- Electives1
Deadlines and Early Admissions
-
- Offered?DeadlineNotification
- Regular Admission
- YesRolling
- Early Action
- No
- Early Decision
- No
Admissions Office Information
- Address:18111
Northridge, CA 91330 - Phone:(818) 677-3700
- Fax:(818) 677-3766
- Email:admissions.records@csun.edu
Other Schools For You
If you’re interested in Cal State Northridge, you’ll probably be interested in these schools as well. We’ve divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Cal State Northridge.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Cal State Northridge. If you improve your SAT score, you’ll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 1145 | 23 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, CA | 1145 | 23 |
| Washington State University | Pullman, WA | 1125 | 23 |
| University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX | 1125 | 22 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, NC | 1105 | 22 |
| Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN | 1100 | 22 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos, TX | 1095 | 23 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you’re competitive for Cal State Northridge, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radford University | Radford, VA | 1041 | 20 |
| University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX | 1040 | 20 |
| Texas A&M University – Kingsville | Kingsville, TX | 1040 | 20 |
| California State University Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | 1035 | 19 |
| Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA | 1030 | 20 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana, PA | 1017 | 19 |
| California State University Fresno | Fresno, CA | 1010 | 19 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you’re currently competitive for Cal State Northridge, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Cal State Northridge is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kean University | Union, NJ | 990 | 20 |
| University of Texas at Brownsville | Brownsville, TX | 990 | 19 |
| California State University Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 985 | 18 |
| State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | Cobleskill, NY | 970 | 20 |
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL | 950 | 18 |
| College of St. Elizabeth | Morristown, NJ | 950 | 16 |
| Albertus Magnus College | New Haven, CT | 940 | 24 |
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