California State University-Northridge (CSUN)

Public four-year university in Northridge, CA that costs an average of $6,346 a year after financial aid, admits 93% of applicants and graduates 57% of full-time students.

Net price / year
$6,346
Acceptance rate
93%
Graduation rate
57%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$63,721

PublicLarge city32,691 undergraduates

Cost of CSUN

Total cost of attendance (per year)$20,014
Tuition and fees, in-state$7,850
Tuition and fees, out-of-state$21,170
Housing and food (on campus)$14,538
Books and supplies$1,370
Average net price after aid$6,346

Net price by family income

Family incomeAverage net price / year
$0–30,000$4,429
$30,001–48,000$4,460
$48,001–75,000$5,948
$75,001–110,000$9,780
$110,001+$17,634

Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with CSUN's net price calculator ↗.

Admissions

Acceptance rate93%
Test scoresNeither required nor recommended

Graduation, earnings and debt

Graduation rate57%
First-year retention73%
Median earnings 6 years after enrolling$50,095
Median earnings 10 years after enrolling$63,721
Rank in California (earnings)84th of 129 similar colleges
Median debt of graduates$15,000
Typical monthly loan payment$170 (10-year plan)
Students with Pell grants61%
Students with federal loans22%

Majors and programs at CSUN

Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.

Bachelor's degree programs (79)

ProgramGraduates (2 yrs)Earnings after 1 yrMedian debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing257$107,276$18,750
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions42$103,066—
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician54$90,668—
Computer Engineering74$84,485—
Public Administration50$84,412$34,173
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering126$80,093$12,500
Mechanical Engineering366$75,759$13,350
Accounting and Related Services502$74,096$18,646
Civil Engineering157$72,768$17,625
Computer Science493$64,914$15,500
Computer and Information Sciences225$62,281$16,275
Finance and Financial Management Services99$55,572$15,000
Management Information Systems and Services—$53,714—
Business Administration, Management and Operations2,331$50,898$12,875
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology38$49,811—
Biotechnology—$49,430—
Economics152$47,399$12,500
Health and Medical Administrative Services236$47,298$13,867
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences—$44,764—
Marketing284$44,378$11,725
Public Health456$44,294$13,950
Real Estate—$42,526$16,093
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication—$41,882$11,047
Hospitality Administration/Management62$41,741—
Journalism223$41,557$15,000
Sociology805$40,801$12,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities508$40,504$11,497
Applied Mathematics—$40,374—
Criminal Justice and Corrections835$40,326$12,500
Mathematics107$40,239—
Communication and Media Studies455$39,561$15,000
Political Science and Government364$38,484$17,177
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences239$38,153$19,036
Design and Applied Arts16$38,152$13,000
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology—$37,507—
History165$35,987$18,000
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication856$34,411$13,000
Psychology2,025$34,217$12,500
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness737$34,031$12,000
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services—$33,837$12,500
Biology547$33,664$14,930
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies360$33,237$16,250
English Language and Literature315$32,774$15,500
Philosophy45$31,758—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts—$31,506$12,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services230$30,813$14,373
Music196$28,903$14,000
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics66$28,533—
Anthropology99$28,343$10,750
Fine and Studio Arts644$27,943$15,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft84$25,667$18,500
Apparel and Textiles10——
Area Studies17——
Chemistry45——
Engineering———
Engineering-Related Fields14——
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies2——
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other———
Geography and Cartography55——
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences27——
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences———
Industrial Engineering———
Information Science/Studies———
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services47——
Manufacturing Engineering17——
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology———
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other13——
Natural Resources Conservation and Research14——
Nutrition Sciences44——
Operations Research———
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies———
Physics23——
Religion/Religious Studies16——
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies———
Social Work———
Statistics———
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods712——
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas———
Urban Studies/Affairs54——

Master's degree programs (64)

ProgramGraduates (2 yrs)Earnings after 1 yrMedian debt
Engineering-Related Fields215$126,039—
Taxation49$103,323—
Civil Engineering33$99,276—
Business Administration, Management and Operations98$94,472$30,500
Manufacturing Engineering26$94,160—
Materials Engineering11$94,009—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas36$86,422—
Educational/Instructional Media Design18$81,642—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology48$76,683$41,000
Public Administration330$76,590$36,134
Social Work320$76,529$24,500
Health and Medical Administrative Services43$70,472—
Public Health134$69,311$37,000
Biology40$66,642—
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions48$65,455$42,658
Nutrition Sciences20$63,712—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services205$63,600$64,218
Educational Administration and Supervision96$60,601—
Student Counseling and Personnel Services155$57,342$35,712
Communication and Media Studies41$55,869—
English Language and Literature71$55,662—
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness31$52,373—
Music100$50,835$41,000
Education, Other—$45,577—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft21$21,997—
Accounting and Related Services76——
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions10——
Anthropology10——
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology6——
Chemistry12——
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning17——
Computer Engineering43——
Computer Science145——
Curriculum and Instruction24——
Education63——
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering28——
Engineering———
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies5——
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences13——
Fine and Studio Arts25——
Geography and Cartography10——
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences9——
Historic Preservation and Conservation2——
History35——
Hospitality Administration/Management11——
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies48——
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities35——
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services9——
Management Information Systems and Services———
Mathematics24——
Mechanical Engineering35——
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions48——
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other———
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies———
Physics18——
Political Science and Government15——
Psychology21——
Research and Experimental Psychology17——
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics16——
Sociology17——
Special Education and Teaching85——
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods7——
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language10——

Doctoral degree programs (2)

ProgramGraduates (2 yrs)Earnings after 1 yrMedian debt
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services———
Educational Administration and Supervision21——

Professional degree programs (3)

ProgramGraduates (2 yrs)Earnings after 1 yrMedian debt
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services19——
Educational Administration and Supervision———
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions58——

Graduate certificate programs (16)

ProgramGraduates (2 yrs)Earnings after 1 yrMedian debt
Anthropology2——
Business Administration, Management and Operations———
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services49——
Educational/Instructional Media Design———
Engineering-Related Fields———
Gerontology———
Health and Medical Administrative Services———
Human Resources Management and Services———
Public Administration———
Public Health———
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians———
Real Estate3——
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions2——
Special Education and Teaching9——
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods1——
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language6——

Similar colleges in California

CollegeCityNet price / yrAcceptanceEarnings
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley$14,53811%$100,212
University of California-DavisDavis$14,31842%$86,999
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles$14,6599.0%$88,581
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla$14,79427%$96,197
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego$13,24336%$73,494
University of California-IrvineIrvine$13,86629%$83,432
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach$9,42646%$69,554
California State University-SacramentoSacramento$11,18694%$69,014

All colleges in California →

About CSUN

TypePublic four-year university
LocationNorthridge, CA
SettingLarge city
Undergraduates32,691
Student-to-faculty ratio25 to 1
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Websitecsun.edu ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is CSUN's acceptance rate?

California State University-Northridge admits 93% of applicants.

How much does CSUN cost per year?

The full cost of attendance is $20,014 a year (tuition and fees: $7,850 in-state, $21,170 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $6,346 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $4,429.

How much do CSUN graduates earn?

Former students earn a median of $63,721 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 84th of 129 similar colleges in California. The best-paid bachelor's program is registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing ($107,276 a year after graduation).

What is CSUN's graduation rate?

57% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% of first-year students return for a second year.