10-yr median earnings
$59,115
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Northridge, California
California State University-Northridge
California State University-Northridge is a public institution in Northridge, California. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $7,021
- Avg net price / yr
- $59,115
- 10-yr median earnings
- 56.5%
- 150%-time completion
- 93.5%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
California State University-Northridge pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 17%
- former-student earnings, US
- 93.5%
- acceptance rate
- 56.5%
- 150%-time completion
- +33%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: Master's (L)
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this California State University-Northridge profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
B-
College Value Score
66/100
California State University-Northridge
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A-
$59,115
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price A
$7,021
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
56.5%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt D
$13,872
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B
70.8%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention D
73.4%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$7,021
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
56.5%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 56.5%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - California State University-Northridge vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How California State University-Northridge ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
California State University-Northridge: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$59,115 Top 17% higher than 83% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | California State University-Northridge | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $59,115 | #843 of 5103 | 83rd |
| Average net price | $7,021 | #652 of 5020 | 87th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 56.5% | #2469 of 4858 | 49th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 32,691 | #48 of 5462 | 99th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
32,691
Undergraduate enrollment
93.5%
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
56.5%
150%-time completion
$59,115
10-yr median earnings
73.4%
First-year retention
How California State University-Northridge ranks in California
State rank among 493 reporting California colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | California State University-Northridge | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $59,115 | #118 of 493 | 76th |
| Average net price | $7,021 | #76 of 495 | 85th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 56.5% | #292 of 483 | 40th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 32,691 | #7 of 553 | 99th |
Highest former-student earnings in California
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Merritt University | $143,238 | - |
| 2 | Harvey Mudd College | $138,687 | $35,924 |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | $128,566 | $16,075 |
| 4 | Stanford University | $124,080 | $13,807 |
| 5 | Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health | $115,318 | - |
| 6 | Gnomon | $114,785 | $51,949 |
| 7 | Santa Clara University | $109,183 | $50,062 |
| 8 | Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University | $109,183 | - |
| 9 | Touro University California | $104,805 | - |
| 10 | Claremont McKenna College | $104,736 | $28,849 |
| 11 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County | $102,672 | $32,879 |
| 12 | West Coast University-Ontario | $102,672 | $49,590 |
| 118 | California State University-NorthridgeThis school | $59,115 | $7,021 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 93.5% |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at California State University-Northridge
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k $4,905
$0 – $30k
$4,905 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $5,450
$30k – $48k
$5,450 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$7,744 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$18,040 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at California State University-Northridge - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $7,458 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $20,058 |
| Average Net Price | $7,021 |
56.1%
Pell Grant Rate
21.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$13,872
Median Debt
$147/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at California State University-Northridge swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $5,703 to $11,439 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -33.6%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$5,703
Highest year
$11,439
Most recent (2023)
$7,599
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $11,4392023 · $7,599
Over the same years, enrollment went -3.6% (33,581 → 32,357 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
57.9%
Female
53.9%
First Generation
Outcomes
73.4%
Retention Rate
$44,372
Median Earnings (6yr)
63.3%
Earning Over $25K
70.8%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 56.5% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 73.4% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $44,372 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $59,115 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 63.3% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 70.8% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $13,872 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $147/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 59 | 8,911 | $64,815 | $116,613 | $15,679 |
| Master's | 34 | 1,289 | $90,060 | $178,136 | $36,070 |
| Level 99 | 2 | 0 | $113,008 | $113,493 | - |
Top programs at California State University-Northridge by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$178,136 median earnings
- Manufacturing Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering
$129,151 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$116,613 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$115,123 median earnings
- Education, General
Education, General
$113,493 median earnings
- Educational Administration…
Educational Administration and Supervision
$112,522 median earnings
- Taxation
Taxation
$108,576 median earnings
- Allied Health Diagnostic, …
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
$105,747 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Master's | 23 | $178,136 | - |
| Manufacturing Engineering | Master's | 14 | $129,151 | - |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's | 155 | $116,613 | $15,041 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 47 | $115,123 | $34,195 |
| Education, General | Level 99 | - | $113,493 | - |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Level 99 | - | $112,522 | - |
| Taxation | Master's | 31 | $108,576 | $41,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's | 51 | $105,747 | $18,875 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's | 17 | $104,388 | - |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's | 78 | $104,065 | $16,382 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | 44 | $101,424 | $38,464 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's | 251 | $101,348 | $16,250 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's | 35 | $101,021 | $18,346 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's | 185 | $99,216 | $17,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's | 38 | $98,558 | - |
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
28,453 students · 4,238 apart
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
28,350 students · 4,341 apart
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
27,601 students · 5,090 apart
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
25,042 students · 7,649 apart
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
$7,022 net price · $1 apart
Central Community College
Grand Island, NE
$7,024 net price · $3 apart
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Hampton, VA
$7,012 net price · $9 apart
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, ME
$7,035 net price · $14 apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Northridge? ▼
California State University-Northridge is a public institution in Northridge, California. The acceptance rate is 93.5%. Undergraduate enrollment is 32,691 students.
How much do California State University-Northridge former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at California State University-Northridge who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $59,115 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $44,372.
How much does California State University-Northridge cost? ▼
The average net price at California State University-Northridge is $7,021. In-state tuition is $7,458 and out-of-state tuition is $20,058. Median student debt at graduation is $13,872.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Northridge? ▼
California State University-Northridge has a 56.5% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 73.4%.
Is California State University-Northridge worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at California State University-Northridge is $13,872, while former students earn a median of $59,115 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 23% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 70.8% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $147.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from California State University-Northridge
- Compare California State University-Northridge against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in California side by side.Browse California
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.