Western Washington University (WWU) vs Chico State

Western Washington University (WWU) and California State University-Chico (CSUC) are two public universities located in the Pacific Northwest and California, respectively. Both institutions offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between the two. WWU has a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to CSUC (69%), and its student body is slightly larger, with over 15,000 students enrolled compared to CSUC's 14,000. CSUC has a higher graduation rate (63%) than WWU (59%), and its students tend to be more diverse, with a larger percentage of Hispanic and Asian students. In terms of popular majors, WWU is known for its strong programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, while CSUC is known for its programs in business, engineering, and computer science. To help you make an informed decision about which university is the best fit for you,
California State University-Chico logo

California State University-Chico

Western Washington University logo

Western Washington University

Overview

Location Chico, California Bellingham, Washington
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 81.0% 81.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 85.5% 96.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $100
SAT range N/A 1090 - 1310
ACT range N/A 22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 16.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0%
Total number of applicants 19,990 10,580
Total number of admissions given out 17,086 10,167
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,929 2,874
Yield rate 11.3% 28.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,984

Out of state: $35,864
In state: $26,634

Out of state: $43,861
Average net price $13,749 $11,388
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $7,572

Out of state: $24,799
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,609

Meal plan: $3,881
$13,079
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

63.0%
Average amount $8,691
82.0%
Average amount $7,112
Students receiving federal student loan 29.0%
Average amount $4,637
29.0%
Average amount $4,929
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $11,369
3.0%
Average amount $15,435

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 14,462
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
14,019
Men 42.6% Women 57.4%
Graduate students 1,240
Men 33.6% Women 66.4%
1,106
Men 36.4% Women 63.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 1.3% N/A
International students 2.9% 1.0%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 2,323 3,985
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Oregon Washington Arizona Colorado N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Education
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 22:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.4% 67.7%
Dropout rate 27.4% 30.6%
Transferred out 4.8% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,107
  • Year 2: $95,797
  • Year 3: $96,478
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,190
  • Year 2: $83,091
  • Year 3: $93,961
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,808
  • Year 2: $74,241
  • Year 3: $91,563
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,244
  • Year 2: $70,176
  • Year 3: $79,499
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,761
  • Year 2: $69,617
  • Year 3: $79,308
Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,803
  • Year 2: $66,355
  • Year 3: $76,389
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,879
  • Year 2: $59,350
  • Year 3: $74,258
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,880
  • Year 2: $66,222
  • Year 3: $74,116
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,298
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $69,321
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,812
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $68,680
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,837
  • Year 2: $81,333
  • Year 3: $92,019
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,492
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $78,577
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,314
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $76,877
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,624
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $71,599
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,592
  • Year 2: $60,920
  • Year 3: $64,540
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $60,325
  • Year 3: $64,302
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,243
  • Year 2: $49,572
  • Year 3: $60,999
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,788
  • Year 2: $37,748
  • Year 3: $58,090
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,818
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $57,268
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,065
  • Year 2: $45,696
  • Year 3: $57,167

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
California State University-Chico Chico State vs California State University-Stanislaus California State University-Stanislaus
California State University-Chico Chico State vs California State University-San Bernardino California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-Chico Chico State vs California State Polytechnic University-Pomona California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Metropolitan State University of Denver Metropolitan State University of Denver
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Southern Connecticut State University Southern Connecticut State University
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Pittsburg State University Pittsburg State University
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota State University-Mankato
California State University-Chico Chico State vs William Paterson University of New Jersey William Paterson University of New Jersey
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Youngstown State University Youngstown State University
California State University-Chico Chico State vs Radford University Radford University
California State University-Chico Chico State vs University of Wisconsin-Platteville University of Wisconsin-Platteville
California State University-Chico Chico State vs University of California-Merced University of California-Merced
Western Washington University WWU vs Prescott College Prescott College
Western Washington University WWU vs California State University-Chico California State University-Chico
Western Washington University WWU vs University of California-Berkeley University of California-Berkeley
Western Washington University WWU vs Loyola Marymount University Loyola Marymount University
Western Washington University WWU vs University of Northern Iowa University of Northern Iowa
Western Washington University WWU vs Pittsburg State University Pittsburg State University
Western Washington University WWU vs Towson University Towson University
Western Washington University WWU vs Harvard University Harvard University
Western Washington University WWU vs Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University
Western Washington University WWU vs Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota State University-Mankato
Western Washington University WWU vs University of Minnesota-Duluth University of Minnesota-Duluth
Western Washington University WWU vs College of Staten Island CUNY College of Staten Island CUNY
Western Washington University WWU vs SUNY College at Oswego SUNY College at Oswego
Western Washington University WWU vs Appalachian State University Appalachian State University
Western Washington University WWU vs University of North Carolina Wilmington University of North Carolina Wilmington
Western Washington University WWU vs Lewis & Clark College Lewis & Clark College
Western Washington University WWU vs Oregon State University Oregon State University
Western Washington University WWU vs Willamette University Willamette University
Western Washington University WWU vs Coastal Carolina University Coastal Carolina University
Western Washington University WWU vs James Madison University James Madison University
Western Washington University WWU vs Central Washington University Central Washington University
Western Washington University WWU vs Eastern Washington University Eastern Washington University
Western Washington University WWU vs The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College
Western Washington University WWU vs Gonzaga University Gonzaga University
Western Washington University WWU vs Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Lutheran University
Western Washington University WWU vs Saint Martin's University Saint Martin's University
Western Washington University WWU vs Washington State University Washington State University
Western Washington University WWU vs Whitman College Whitman College
Western Washington University WWU vs Stanford University Stanford University
Western Washington University WWU vs University of Washington-Bothell Campus University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Western Washington University WWU vs University of Minnesota-Rochester University of Minnesota-Rochester