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California State University-Northridge
California State University-Northridge admits nearly everyone — 93.5% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether California State University-Northridge is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
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California State University-Northridge sits in Northridge proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, where graduates median $116,613 four years out. Faculty pay averages $149,472 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. Most of its 32,691 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 73.4% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
California State University-Northridge won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
California State University-Northridge does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 93.5% who got into California State University-Northridge did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California State University-Northridge received 29,789 applications and admitted 27,748 (93.1%), with 5,545 enrolling.
How California State University-Northridge compares
| California State University-Northridge | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 93.5% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $7,458 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $59,115 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, California State University-Northridge's median earnings are $59,115 — below the California benchmark of $64,778. Weigh that against the $7,458 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, California State University-Northridge prices by residency: $7,458 in-state versus $20,058 out-of-state — a $12,600 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
32,691 undergraduates make California State University-Northridge a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
57% graduate within six years. Roughly 43% don't — ask a California State University-Northridge tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at California State University-Northridge
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $116,613 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $105,747 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $104,065 |
| Computer Science | $101,348 |
| Computer Engineering | $101,021 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $99,216 |
| Civil Engineering | $97,123 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $92,329 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $91,131 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $89,804 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $88,999 |
| Public Administration | $85,789 |
| Chemistry | $79,878 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $74,656 |
| Operations Research | $74,344 |
| Biotechnology | $73,542 |
| Economics | $72,890 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | $72,148 |
| Geography and Cartography | $69,323 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $65,760 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $65,188 |
| Marketing | $64,373 |
| Mathematics | $63,077 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $60,740 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $59,940 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $59,676 |
| Biology, General | $59,100 |
| Political Science and Government | $57,527 |
| Real Estate | $57,174 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $57,138 |
| Public Health | $55,989 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $55,327 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $55,096 |
| Sociology | $54,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,169 |
| Journalism | $53,351 |
| Area Studies | $53,077 |
| Social Work | $52,988 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $52,772 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $51,235 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $50,708 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $50,663 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $50,644 |
| Psychology, General | $49,792 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $49,359 |
| Philosophy | $48,566 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $47,660 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $46,913 |
| History | $45,821 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $45,088 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $43,345 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $43,240 |
| Anthropology | $43,192 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $42,904 |
| Music | $40,669 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $32,939 |
Median earnings for these 56 California State University-Northridge programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $59,115 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 19 additional California State University-Northridge programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California State University-Northridge?
California State University-Northridge doesn't look at test scores; its 93.5% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is California State University-Northridge's acceptance rate?
93.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 27,748 admitted from 29,789 applicants.
How much does California State University-Northridge cost?
In-state tuition is $7,458; out-of-state students pay $20,058. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do California State University-Northridge graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $59,115 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- California State University-Sacramento — 94% admitted
- California State University-Los Angeles — 91.3% admitted
- California State University-East Bay — 97.4% admitted
- California State University-Fullerton — 90.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.