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AlmaSpire

Northridge, CA · Public · 32,691 undergraduates · urban

California State University-Northridge

Less selective

CSUN pairs broad professional education with rare depth in Deaf Studies and direct proximity to Los Angeles media industries.

Institutional profile

Highly regarded Exceptional in affordability, and exceptional in mobility.
Academic Emerging Affordability Exceptional Career Strong Mobility Exceptional Experience Strong
Academic standing Emerging
Affordability Exceptional
Career outcomes Strong
Mobility Exceptional
Student experience Strong
Admission
93.2% admitted

29,789 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
71.3%

$59,115 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets California State University-Northridge apart

Academic design

Deaf Studies offers multiple concentrations; Cinema and Television Arts includes film, screenwriting, television and media management.

Campus pattern

Large San Fernando Valley campus sits within metropolitan Los Angeles rather than a traditional college town.

Career & value signal

Los Angeles supports pathways in entertainment, education, healthcare, business and public service.

Can I get in?

93.2% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

29,789

About 93 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 93.2%
Entering class

Record over scores

No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.

Testingnot considered
Return for a second year73.9%
Finish the degree71.3%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for California State University-Northridge, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What California State University-Northridge weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Deaf Studies offers multiple concentrations; Cinema and Television Arts includes film, screenwriting, television and media management.

02

Make institutional fit specific

CSUN pairs broad professional education with rare depth in Deaf Studies and direct proximity to Los Angeles media industries.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular DecisionNov 30
Application routeCal State Apply

$70 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$29,484
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$7,000
Affordability profileExceptional

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

California State University-Northridge publishes one merit award, the largest reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year. Each one requires a separate scholarship application. All of them renew past the first year.

Separate scholarship application An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Through the honors college · Merit and financial need · Competitive · Renews

In the season card

This award, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at California State University-Northridge

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years71.3%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one73.9%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$59,115

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Recent graduates1,100
Median earnings$65,760

Admits separately

Psychology, General

Recent graduates980
Median earnings$49,792

Criminal Justice and Corrections

Recent graduates439
Median earnings$54,169

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Recent graduates430
Median earnings$49,359

Admits separately

Sociology

Recent graduates424
Median earnings$54,500

What is campus life like?

California State University-Northridge beyond the classroom

Large San Fernando Valley campus sits within metropolitan Los Angeles rather than a traditional college town.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Deaf Studies offers multiple concentrations; Cinema and Television Arts includes film, screenwriting, television and media management.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Large San Fernando Valley campus sits within metropolitan Los Angeles rather than a traditional college town.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

Los Angeles supports pathways in entertainment, education, healthcare, business and public service.

32,691 undergraduatesPacificurban settingCampus housing available