California State University-Northridge

California State University-Northridge prices its education accessibly across the income spectrum, a reflection of its public-university mission and broad financial-aid reach. Low-income families pay approximately $4,905 per year in net price — a figure that places CSUN among the more affordable options in the Azimuth coverage set for students who qualify for need-based aid.

Middle-income families see annual costs around $7,744, and higher-income families pay approximately $18,040. Azimuth ranks California State University-Northridge #47 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. For more on how published costs and actual costs diverge, see the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/).

California State University-Northridge participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. The university's Financial Aid and Scholarships Department administers need-based packages, and work-study is available as part of the aid structure for qualifying students, per the financial aid page.

Families apply using the FAFSA; California residents may also access Cal Grant funding, which can meaningfully reduce net price for low- and middle-income households beyond what federal aid alone provides. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,872, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,522; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,664, median federal debt of $13,872 projects to a monthly payment of about $157 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of California State University-Northridge earn median earnings of $59,664 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-Northridge in the 44.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $13,438 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 90.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to CA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,672 — the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential.

California State University-Northridge's degree output is anchored by Business, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 9% and Arts at 5%. Business Administration combines strong enrollment with solid pay, making it a key contributor to the university's aggregate return profile.

Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #114 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 930 graduates earning median earnings of $49,792. The Business Administration program graduates 805 students with median earnings of $65,760, and Azimuth ranks Radio, Television, and Digital Communication #20 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 469 graduates earning median earnings of $49,359.

Azimuth ranks Kinesiology #77 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and the The Criminal Justice program graduates 442 students earning median earnings of $54,169.

California State University-Northridge's program mix is anchored in Business, with substantial enrollment across health, social sciences, and liberal arts — a broad applied-professional portfolio characteristic of a large comprehensive public university in the Los Angeles metro. Business accounts for 19% of degree output, followed by Social Sciences at 9% and Arts at 5%.

Business Administration is the program that combines the largest cohort scale with strong earnings, making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes. Across 51 programs serving roughly 9,359 students annually, 45 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.

The highest four-year earnings belong to Business Administration, where 805 graduates earn median earnings of $65,760 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #135 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Digital Marketing follows with median earnings of $64,373 and a cohort of 389 graduates, while The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 351 students with median earnings of $57,138.

Among the largest programs by enrollment, Psychology, General program graduates 930 students with median earnings of $49,792, and the The Business Administration program graduates 805 students with median earnings of $65,760. Azimuth ranks Radio, Television, and Digital Communication #20 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 469 graduates earning $49,359 — [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) provides the full methodology.

Several of California State University-Northridge's strongest programs feed directly into high-demand sectors across Southern California. Business Administration and Digital Marketing are high-mobility pathways where four-year earnings reflect direct labor-market outcomes, while Kinesiology and Criminal Justice — with 442 and 442 graduates respectively — include pathways where a share of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, meaning four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory.

The institution's research infrastructure, which includes the Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship and the Bookstein Institute for Higher Education in Taxation per the department's research page, supports applied learning across business and finance fields. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides additional context for how these program families align with national wage trends. ```