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California State University-Northridge

Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Northridge, California

Net price / year

$7,021

after grants & scholarships

lower than 86% of public 4-year colleges

Acceptance rate

93%

Graduation rate

57%

within 150% of normal time

higher than 70% of public 4-year colleges

Median earnings

$59,664

4 years after graduating

higher than 53% of public 4-year colleges

California State University-Northridge at a glance

What is the tuition at California State University-Northridge?
In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $7,458 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $20,058 for out-of-state students.
What is the cost of attendance at California State University-Northridge?
The average cost of attendance is $20,485 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
What is the net price at California State University-Northridge?
The average net price for in-state students is $7,021 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Northridge?
About 93% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
Is California State University-Northridge test optional?
Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Northridge?
57% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
How much do graduates of California State University-Northridge earn?
The median graduate earns $59,664 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).

Key takeaways

  • The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.2 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
  • At $7,021 a year, the average net price is lower than 86% of public 4-year colleges.
  • Families earning under $30,000 pay about $4,905 a year on average, versus $18,040 for families earning over $110,000.
  • 56% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, a sign the school serves many lower-income students.
  • The school admits 93% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.

Tuition and cost of attendance at California State University-Northridge

Average net price (in-state)

$7,021 per year

Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.

Estimate your own price with the California State University-Northridge net price calculator ↗

Estimated total net cost

$28,084

Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.

Net price by family income

Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.

  1. $0–30k $4,905
  2. $30–48k $5,450
  3. $48–75k $7,744
  4. $75–110k $11,262
  5. $110k+ $18,040

Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $20,485

  • Tuition & fees$7,458
  • Books & supplies$1,338
  • Room & board$13,804
  • Other expenses$3,390
Tuition & fees (in-state)
$7,458
Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
$20,058

California State University-Northridge acceptance rate and admissions

Acceptance rate

Share of applicants admitted.

Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended

Graduation rate and salary after graduating from California State University-Northridge

Graduation rate

57%

First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.

Retention rate

74%

Full-time first-years who return the next fall.

Typical monthly payment

$147

On a standard 10-year federal plan.

Years of earnings premium to cover cost

1.2 years

Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.

Earnings vs debt

Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.

Debt-to-earnings
0.2×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
Share of pay going to loans
3%
3-year loan default rate
0%

Outcomes by student group

The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.

Completion within 150% of normal time, by group

Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).

Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).

Earnings ten years after entry

All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.

Typical range: middle half of students

25th percentile $34,394 · median $59,115 · 75th percentile $85,290

This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.

Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).

Median federal student debt, by group

Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.

Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).

How borrowers are doing

One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 10,803 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.

Repayment status one year after entering repayment

  • Paid in full 9%
  • Making progress 11%
  • Not making progress 9%
  • Delinquent 2%
  • Default 0%
  • Forbearance 53%
  • Deferment 14%
  • Discharged 0%
What the terms mean
Paid in full:
The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
Making progress:
Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
Not making progress:
The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
Delinquent:
Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
Default:
The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
Forbearance:
Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
Deferment:
Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
Discharged:
The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.

10,803 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).

Programs and majors at California State University-Northridge ranked by earnings

ProgramEarnings, 4 yrs afterEarnings over timeCompared with the U.S. median for this fieldMedian debt

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

Bachelor's · Graduates: 100

$116,613 1 yr$106,7804 yrs$116,6135 yrs$119,562

U.S. median $88,910

U.S. middle half $67.9K–$114.5K · Above the U.S. median

$15,041

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

Bachelor's · Graduates: 33

$105,747 1 yr$100,7244 yrs$105,7475 yrs$106,155

U.S. median $70,786

U.S. middle half $50.9K–$95.9K · Above the U.S. median

$18,875

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 85

$104,065 1 yr$75,2074 yrs$104,0655 yrs$103,360

U.S. median $100,647

U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Above the U.S. median

$16,382

Computer Science

Bachelor's · Graduates: 153

$101,348 1 yr$62,8214 yrs$101,3485 yrs$113,922

U.S. median $107,009

U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Below the U.S. median

$16,250

Computer Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 33

$101,021 1 yr$75,6924 yrs$101,021

U.S. median $109,015

U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Below the U.S. median

$18,346

Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 195

$99,216 1 yr$71,3594 yrs$99,2165 yrs$100,421

U.S. median $92,135

U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Above the U.S. median

$17,000

Civil Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 75

$97,123 1 yr$62,7684 yrs$97,1235 yrs$88,971

U.S. median $86,517

U.S. middle half $73.9K–$101.2K · Above the U.S. median

$19,834

Accounting and Related Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 384

$92,329 1 yr$68,9044 yrs$92,3295 yrs$90,327

U.S. median $76,194

U.S. middle half $56.2K–$97.2K · Above the U.S. median

$15,007

Computer and Information Sciences, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 116

$91,131 1 yr$55,9314 yrs$91,1315 yrs$82,112

U.S. median $92,374

U.S. middle half $64.2K–$128.2K · Below the U.S. median

$18,000

Construction Engineering Technology/Technician

Bachelor's · Graduates: 19 Small sample

$89,804 1 yr$79,3524 yrs$89,8045 yrs$102,821

U.S. median $93,843

U.S. middle half $77.4K–$111.7K · Below the U.S. median

—
Show all 56 programs

Management Information Systems and Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 65

$88,999 1 yr$58,7334 yrs$88,9995 yrs$84,481

U.S. median $83,290

U.S. middle half $58.8K–$111.6K · Above the U.S. median

$21,125

Public Administration

Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample

$85,789 1 yr$76,0494 yrs$85,789

U.S. median $65,093

U.S. middle half $47.2K–$86.7K · Above the U.S. median

$36,442

Chemistry

Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample

$79,878 1 yr$44,8744 yrs$79,878

U.S. median $65,120

U.S. middle half $48.3K–$84K · Above the U.S. median

—

Finance and Financial Management Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 349

$74,656 1 yr$48,5534 yrs$74,6565 yrs$71,332

U.S. median $83,343

U.S. middle half $60.8K–$111.5K · Below the U.S. median

$12,500

Operations Research

Bachelor's · Graduates: 63

$74,344 1 yr$53,6774 yrs$74,3445 yrs$77,841

U.S. median $122,531

U.S. middle half $80.2K–$181K · Below the U.S. median

$15,998

Biotechnology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 40

$73,542 1 yr$42,7124 yrs$73,5425 yrs$86,383

U.S. median $67,097

U.S. middle half $46.7K–$89K · Above the U.S. median

$20,618

Economics

Bachelor's · Graduates: 90

$72,890 1 yr$35,6284 yrs$72,8905 yrs$72,184

U.S. median $82,686

U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Below the U.S. median

$12,500

Urban Studies/Affairs

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$72,148 1 yr$46,8264 yrs$72,1485 yrs$70,696

U.S. median $62,532

U.S. middle half $43.6K–$81.7K · Above the U.S. median

$11,987

Geography and Cartography

Bachelor's · Graduates: 33

$69,323 1 yr$27,0024 yrs$69,3235 yrs$75,692

U.S. median $57,853

U.S. middle half $42.5K–$75.6K · Above the U.S. median

$12,500

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Bachelor's · Graduates: 611

$65,760 1 yr$43,7144 yrs$65,7605 yrs$66,806

U.S. median $68,257

U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Below the U.S. median

$14,175

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 110

$65,188 1 yr$22,3104 yrs$65,1885 yrs$70,031

U.S. median $58,928

U.S. middle half $45K–$73K · Above the U.S. median

$15,823

Marketing

Bachelor's · Graduates: 413

$64,373 1 yr$37,0164 yrs$64,3735 yrs$69,084

U.S. median $69,303

U.S. middle half $49.7K–$93.2K · Below the U.S. median

$13,350

Mathematics

Bachelor's · Graduates: 26 Small sample

$63,077 1 yr$38,5984 yrs$63,0775 yrs$64,465

U.S. median $69,562

U.S. middle half $49.1K–$97.4K · Below the U.S. median

$11,000

Health and Medical Administrative Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 252

$60,740 1 yr$44,7794 yrs$60,7405 yrs$63,357

U.S. median $58,716

U.S. middle half $41.9K–$80.4K · Above the U.S. median

$14,250

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 22 Small sample

$59,940 1 yr$34,8384 yrs$59,940

U.S. median $48,842

U.S. middle half $36K–$64.3K · Above the U.S. median

$20,335

Design and Applied Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 26 Small sample

$59,676 1 yr$36,7364 yrs$59,6765 yrs$49,713

U.S. median $51,490

U.S. middle half $33K–$70.6K · Above the U.S. median

—

Biology, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 99

$59,100 1 yr$29,5064 yrs$59,1005 yrs$79,403

U.S. median $57,214

U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Above the U.S. median

$15,000

Political Science and Government

Bachelor's · Graduates: 152

$57,527 1 yr$32,0144 yrs$57,5275 yrs$56,503

U.S. median $63,293

U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Below the U.S. median

$14,000

Real Estate

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$57,174 1 yr$35,8794 yrs$57,1745 yrs$58,731

U.S. median $84,821

U.S. middle half $55.6K–$120.7K · Below the U.S. median

—

Communication and Media Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 440

$57,138 1 yr$30,7944 yrs$57,1385 yrs$56,058

U.S. median $56,359

U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Above the U.S. median

$13,999

Public Health

Bachelor's · Graduates: 328

$55,989 1 yr$39,0114 yrs$55,9895 yrs$61,716

U.S. median $58,808

U.S. middle half $42K–$79.2K · Below the U.S. median

$13,744

Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 223

$55,327 1 yr$33,7214 yrs$55,3275 yrs$52,308

U.S. median $48,460

U.S. middle half $34.7K–$63K · Above the U.S. median

$16,375

Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences

Bachelor's · Graduates: 32

$55,096 1 yr$47,3154 yrs$55,0965 yrs$78,365

U.S. median $66,697

U.S. middle half $44.8K–$93.4K · Below the U.S. median

$19,349

Sociology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 561

$54,500 1 yr$34,0934 yrs$54,5005 yrs$53,371

U.S. median $52,657

U.S. middle half $37.7K–$69.5K · Above the U.S. median

$12,500

Criminal Justice and Corrections

Bachelor's · Graduates: 106

$54,169 1 yr$34,8704 yrs$54,169

U.S. median $55,378

U.S. middle half $40.2K–$74.4K · Below the U.S. median

$11,000

Journalism

Bachelor's · Graduates: 197

$53,351 1 yr$30,5644 yrs$53,3515 yrs$53,354

U.S. median $56,278

U.S. middle half $40.6K–$73.9K · Below the U.S. median

$14,311

Area Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 16 Small sample

$53,077 1 yr$26,7934 yrs$53,077

U.S. median $56,625

U.S. middle half $37.2K–$78.5K · Below the U.S. median

—

Social Work

Bachelor's · Graduates: 121

$52,988 1 yr$34,4474 yrs$52,9885 yrs$57,312

U.S. median $51,790

U.S. middle half $39.2K–$64.2K · Above the U.S. median

$12,449

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

Bachelor's · Graduates: 322

$52,772 1 yr$33,3244 yrs$52,7725 yrs$56,781

U.S. median $53,072

U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median

$14,255

Religion/Religious Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 22 Small sample

$51,235 1 yr$23,2194 yrs$51,235

U.S. median $41,390

U.S. middle half $20.5K–$65.2K · Above the U.S. median

—

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 217

$50,708 1 yr$26,7674 yrs$50,7085 yrs$48,239

U.S. median $51,710

U.S. middle half $34.9K–$68.1K · Below the U.S. median

$15,000

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

Bachelor's · Graduates: 427

$50,663 1 yr$27,9524 yrs$50,6635 yrs$56,754

U.S. median $54,562

U.S. middle half $39K–$73K · Below the U.S. median

$14,865

Hospitality Administration/Management

Bachelor's · Graduates: 55

$50,644 1 yr$25,3404 yrs$50,6445 yrs$51,354

U.S. median $56,726

U.S. middle half $41K–$73.8K · Below the U.S. median

$15,000

Psychology, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 852

$49,792 1 yr$28,6034 yrs$49,7925 yrs$52,901

U.S. median $50,706

U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Below the U.S. median

$12,712

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Bachelor's · Graduates: 333

$49,359 1 yr$27,2784 yrs$49,3595 yrs$46,521

U.S. median $50,497

U.S. middle half $33.7K–$70.1K · Below the U.S. median

$14,244

Philosophy

Bachelor's · Graduates: 23 Small sample

$48,566 1 yr$20,8224 yrs$48,5665 yrs$49,662

U.S. median $54,455

U.S. middle half $34.9K–$78K · Below the U.S. median

—

English Language and Literature, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 152

$47,660 1 yr$27,4524 yrs$47,6605 yrs$48,364

U.S. median $48,590

U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Below the U.S. median

$16,840

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 94

$46,913 1 yr$27,2904 yrs$46,9135 yrs$38,272

U.S. median $43,765

U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Above the U.S. median

$18,250

History

Bachelor's · Graduates: 98

$45,821 1 yr$37,0314 yrs$45,8215 yrs$52,390

U.S. median $50,680

U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Below the U.S. median

$15,000

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 377

$45,088 1 yr$28,1504 yrs$45,0885 yrs$46,221

U.S. median $48,568

U.S. middle half $35.1K–$62.7K · Below the U.S. median

$11,000

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample

$43,345 4 yrs$43,3455 yrs$59,426

U.S. median $55,000

U.S. middle half $38.4K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median

$15,184

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

Bachelor's · Graduates: 57

$43,240 1 yr$17,5244 yrs$43,2405 yrs$33,395

U.S. median $39,775

U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Above the U.S. median

$15,201

Anthropology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 49

$43,192 1 yr$26,2784 yrs$43,1925 yrs$47,132

U.S. median $46,676

U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Below the U.S. median

$15,924

Fine and Studio Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 304

$42,904 1 yr$25,3594 yrs$42,9045 yrs$45,572

U.S. median $41,367

U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Above the U.S. median

$14,042

Music

Bachelor's · Graduates: 101

$40,669 1 yr$18,2264 yrs$40,6695 yrs$35,153

U.S. median $42,892

U.S. middle half $26K–$58.8K · Below the U.S. median

$15,000

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 26 Small sample

$32,939 1 yr$21,5014 yrs$32,9395 yrs$51,950

U.S. median $49,984

U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Below the U.S. median

—

Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.

The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.

The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.

Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.

What students study

The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.

Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field

A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).

Who attends

A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.

Race and ethnicity

  • White 18%
  • Black or African American 5.6%
  • Hispanic or Latino 57.9%
  • Asian 8.7%
  • American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
  • Two or more races 3.3%
  • U.S. nonresident 2.9%
  • Race and ethnicity unknown 3.4%

Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).

Gender

  • Men 47.1%
  • Women 52.9%

Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).

Students aged 25 or older

20%

of undergraduates

Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).

Students and campus

Undergraduate enrollment
32,691
Part-time students
16%
Receive Pell Grants
56%
Receive federal loans
21%
Students per faculty member
25 : 1
Setting
City

Similar colleges

Schools of a similar type, price, size and outcomes.

Where it ranks

This college appears in the top 50 of these TuitionScope rankings.

Guides worth reading

Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.

More in California

Frequently asked questions

How much is tuition at California State University-Northridge?

For the 2024-25 academic year, California State University-Northridge reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $7,458 for in-state students and $20,058 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.

What is the cost of attendance and net price at California State University-Northridge?

The average cost of attendance at California State University-Northridge is $20,485 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $7,021 a year. That is lower than 86% of public 4-year colleges.

How much financial aid do students at California State University-Northridge get?

56% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 21% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $4,905 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $18,040 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).

What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Northridge?

California State University-Northridge admitted about 93% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.

What are the graduation rate and retention rate at California State University-Northridge?

57% of first-time, full-time students at California State University-Northridge finish within 150% of normal time. 74% of full-time first-years return the next fall.

How much do California State University-Northridge graduates earn after graduation?

The median graduate earns $59,664 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $36,905.

Is California State University-Northridge worth it?

There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For California State University-Northridge, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 1.2 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $13,872, about 0.2 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 57% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.

How much debt do California State University-Northridge graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $13,872, or about $147 a month on a 10-year plan.

Sources and data periods

All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:

  • Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
  • Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
  • Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
  • Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
  • Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts

Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things