California State University, Northridge

What California State University, Northridge does

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is a public four-year university and one of 23 campuses in the California State University system, founded in 1958 on a 353-acre campus in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. The university enrolls approximately 36,848 students (Fall 2024), of which 69% are first-generation college students and 56.3% are Latino/a, making it a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution ranked #2 in the U.S. for awarding bachelor's degrees to Hispanic students. CSUN offers 152 undergraduate majors, 109 master's programs, 3 professional doctorates, ~30 credential pathways, and ~30 certificate programs across nine colleges, supported by ~2,100 faculty.

CSUN's core technology footprint includes the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center (opened August 22, 2025 with $7M+ from Autodesk and a $25M state allocation, featuring a 30-foot-tall High Bay Structural Lab), Apple's technology ecosystem, and the CSU system's first fully realized Adobe Creative Campus designation with AI-assisted content creation tools. Research & Sponsored Programs awarded $35M to faculty across 227 sponsored projects in FY2024-2025, including NSF and USDA-funded initiatives. Auxiliary operations include The Soraya performing arts venue (45 performances in the 2026-27 season with record-breaking attendance), KCSN 88.5 FM public radio, and the Aquatic Center at Castaic Lake.

The university's revenue model is diversified across tuition and fees ($8,330/year for California resident undergraduates in 2026-2027, plus $471/unit non-resident surcharge), state appropriations, federal and state financial aid disbursements, sponsored research grants, philanthropic fundraising ($140M raised over the last four fiscal years, including $103M+ cumulatively from MacKenzie Scott), ticketed performing arts revenue, and continuing education programs through Tseng College. Distribution combines direct enrollment via Cal State Apply, international recruitment through 18+ country exchange partnerships (CSU-IP), community-based continuing education, and alumni engagement with a global network of 434,000+ Matadors.

Name

California State University, Northridge

Legal name

California State University, Northridge

Website

https://csun.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

California State University, Northridge is a public, four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, serving ~36,848 students (69% first-generation, 56.3% Latino/a) across nine colleges with 152 undergraduate majors and 109 master's programs, ranked #2 nationally for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education services
• Sponsored research programs
• Continuing professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Northridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Recurring tuition revenue. California Resident Undergraduate tuition and fees for 2026-2027 are $8,330 per year (full-time, 7+ units/semester). Non-resident tuition is $471 per unit; a typical 30-unit year adds $14,130 to base fees, bringing the non-resident total to $22,460. Mandatory systemwide tuition set by the CSU Chancellor's Office and subject to change.
2. State Appropriations and Capital Allocations: Direct state funding, including a $25 million state allocation from California that helped fund the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center opened in August 2025.
3. Sponsored Research Grants and Contracts: Extramural research funding. In fiscal year 2024-2025, $35M was awarded to faculty across 227 sponsored projects. Includes federal grants such as the National Science Foundation water quality database and a $1.2 million USDA grant for food/nutrition workforce training.
4. Philanthropic Fundraising: Charitable giving through University Relations and Advancement. $140M raised in philanthropic funds over the last four fiscal years. Recent major gifts include a $63M donation from MacKenzie Scott in December 2025 (bringing her total CSUN giving to over $103M) and more than $7M from Autodesk for the Technology Engagement Center.
5. Federal Financial Aid Disbursements (Grants, Loans, Work-Study): Pass-through federal and state student aid, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Work-Study, Cal Grants, and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) awards, disbursed to enrolled students.
6. Performing Arts and Event Revenue (The Soraya): Ticketed programming at The Soraya, CSUN's professional performing arts venue. The 2026-27 season features 45 performances, including eight major debuts; the venue reported record-breaking attendance and ticket revenue in the current and preceding seasons.
7. Auxiliary and Continuing Education Services: Revenue from auxiliary operations such as the Aquatic Center at Castaic Lake, Tseng College professional and international programs, Open University continuing education, Summer Academic Enrichment Program, and Summer Academic Program for Elementary School Students.
8. Facility Rentals and Licensing: Rental of University Student Union, University Club, and other on-campus facilities for events, plus applications for filming, photography, and University Licensing of the CSUN brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

California State University, Northridge is a public, four-year comprehensive university that delivers higher education services through nine colleges, awarding bachelor's degrees across 152 undergraduate majors and master's degrees across 109 programs, plus 3 professional doctorates, approximately 30 credential pathways, and approximately 30 certificate programs. It supplements in-person instruction with sponsored research programs, continuing and professional education through the Tseng College, international student services, public performing arts programming at The Soraya, and community-engaged research and workforce development in the San Fernando Valley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Soraya: Performing arts center at CSUN hosting professional performances in dance, music, theatre, and other genres; introduced Chad Hilligus as incoming Executive & Artistic Director in 2026-27 season.
• 88.5 FM (KCSN)
• Matadors

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs 152 undergraduate majors and options across nine colleges, offered to first-time freshmen, transfer, international, returning, veteran, and second bachelor's students at the Northridge campus and select extension sites.
• Master's Degree Programs 109 master's degree programs across CSUN's nine colleges and the Tseng College, including on-campus, online, and blended delivery formats.
• Professional Doctoral Degrees 3 professional doctoral degree programs offered through CSUN's academic colleges.
• Teaching Credential Programs Nearly 30 teaching credential pathways preparing K-12 educators, administered primarily through the Michael D. Eisner College of Education.
• Certificate Programs Nearly 30 certificate programs spanning undergraduate and graduate levels, offered through CSUN's academic colleges.
• Tseng College Graduate, International and Midcareer Education Programs 30+ full- and part-time programs in online, face-to-face, and blended formats for professional, international, and midcareer students, plus custom-designed short-term programs for international groups.
• Open University Continuing Education Continuing education courses available to community members through tsengcollege.csun.edu, serving the San Fernando Valley and broader Los Angeles area.
• International Student Exchange Programs CSU International Programs across 18 countries plus Campus-Based Exchange Programs with partner universities in Armenia, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Spain.
• Aquatic Center at Castaic Lake Boating and water safety education programs operated by the College of Health and Human Development, offering credit, non-credit, and community service programming.
• The Soraya Performing Arts Season Annual season of 45 professional live performances across dance, music, and theatre at CSUN's performing arts venue, including eight major debuts in the 2026-27 season.
• Sponsored Research Programs Extramurally funded research administered through Research & Sponsored Programs, with $35M awarded to faculty across 227 sponsored projects in fiscal year 2024-2025.
• Summer Academic Enrichment Program and Teenage Drama Workshop Summer academic enrichment programming for K-12 learners plus the Teenage Drama Workshop, both serving the San Fernando Valley community.
• International and Exchange Student Center Services International recruitment, admissions, F-1/J-1 visa support, and exchange student services for CSUN's international student population.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% four-year graduation rate for first-time transfers
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• SUMA WealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026SUMA Wealth is a coalition partner with CSUN on the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub initiative to equip Hispanic-Serving Institution learners with skills to lead in an AI-driven economy. The initiative targets 20,000+ students over two years across 500+ HSIs nationwide.
• Super{Power}coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Super{Power} is a coalition partner with CSUN on the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub initiative, supporting AI fluency, financial capability, entrepreneurship, and culturally rooted storytelling programming.
• Apogee ElectronicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Apogee Electronics is among the coalition partners supporting the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub initiative launched in April 2026 to equip Hispanic-Serving Institution learners with AI-driven economy skills.
• AdobeflagshipTechnology or Integration · 10 April 2026Adobe partners with the CSU Entertainment Alliance (housed at CSUN) to present CSU MAX, a full-day creative event for all 22 CSU campuses. The partnership positions the CSU system as the nation's first fully realized Adobe Creative Campus system, providing students with Adobe creative tools and AI-assisted content creation technologies.
• Cal State Long Beach (CSULB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026CSULB collaborates with CSUN (and University of Texas at Arlington) on an NSF-funded project collecting water quality data from fire-affected areas in California to create a national database analyzing impacts of 2025 fires, drought, and atmospheric rivers.
• University of Texas at ArlingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026University of Texas at Arlington collaborates with CSUN and Cal State Long Beach on an NSF-funded project to build a national database on water quality from fire-affected California areas, with broader applications for research and environmental management.
• Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2025CSUN researchers and LADWP have completed the first phase of a collaborative three-phase study called CONNECT, examining how workplace design factors (lighting, layout, acoustics, air quality) impact employee productivity and well-being. Future phases will explore virtual/augmented reality integration and digital twin modeling.
• Los Angeles Mission CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025CSUN, Los Angeles Mission College, and LAUSD's Careers through Culinary Arts Program launched a collaboration funded by a $1.2 million USDA grant to train future food, nutrition, and health professionals across high school, community college, and university levels (impacting 4,600+ students).
• Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Careers through Culinary Arts ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025LAUSD's Careers through Culinary Arts Program partners with CSUN and LA Mission College on a USDA-funded ($1.2M) collaboration to train future food, nutrition, and health professionals, impacting 4,600+ students at the high school, community college, and university levels.
• AutodeskflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Software company Autodesk contributed more than $7 million to the design and construction of the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center at CSUN, which officially opened on August 22, 2025. Autodesk provides free access to professional-grade design software and plays an active role in shaping real-world learning experiences for students in STEAM fields.
• Apple Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Apple Inc. supports the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center at CSUN, which opened on August 22, 2025. Apple also partners with CSUN on the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub launched in 2026, providing the technology ecosystem and learning platforms for AI fluency programs. In 2024, Apple and the State of California established the Centro Global HSI Innovador (Global HSI Innovation Center) to increase Latino presence in STEM careers.
• NASA (Jet Propulsion Laboratory / community-engaged research)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020CSUN partners with NASA as part of its community-engaged research portfolio; CSUN alumna Akemi Hinzer '21 works as a Planetary Protection Scientist at NASA JPL on the Europa Clipper spacecraft, featured as a CSUN Road Map to the Future success story.
• Fulbright Program (U.S. Department of State)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSUN participates in the U.S.-government-sponsored Fulbright Program, the leading international exchange program, providing opportunities for CSUN students and professionals to study, teach, and conduct research worldwide in more than 100 countries.
• CSU FoundationcoreOthersThe California State University Foundation offers donor-funded scholarships on a systemwide or multi-campus basis, with CSUN serving as the coordinating campus for Alumni Association activities and corporate connect programs.
• Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission IndianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSUN maintains a Land Acknowledgement recognizing the Sesevitam, the first people of Sesevenga, and works in partnership with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians on urban forestry and climate change initiatives highlighted in the Road Map to the Future.
• Office of Community EngagementcoreOthersCSUN's Office of Community Engagement within Undergraduate Studies coordinates community partnerships in the San Fernando Valley, supporting local organizations and student civic engagement.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California State University, Long Beach: A direct CSU system peer in Southern California with comparable enrollment scale, similar HSI designation, and overlapping engineering, health, and arts programs. CSULB even collaborates with CSUN on the NSF-funded water quality database project.
• California State University, Fullerton: A direct CSU peer in Orange County with similar enrollment (~40,000), HSI designation, and comparable mix of business, engineering, communications, and arts programs competing for the same Southern California student pool.
• San Diego State University: A direct CSU peer with comparable enrollment scale, strong engineering and communications programs, and similar HSI positioning. Competes for California-resident applicants and research funding within the CSU system.
• Cal Poly Pomona: A direct CSU peer located in the Inland Empire with comparable enrollment, an HSI designation, and applied/polytechnic programs (engineering, business, agriculture) overlapping with CSUN's offerings.
• California State University, Los Angeles: A direct CSU peer and CSUN's geographic neighbor in the greater Los Angeles area with similar HSI designation, comparable enrollment, and overlapping programs in business, engineering, and education.
• California State University, Fresno: A CSU peer with comparable HSI designation and focus on first-generation and underrepresented students. Competes with CSUN for CSU system funding allocations and serves an overlapping demographic mission.
• California State University, Bakersfield: A smaller CSU peer with HSI designation and a similar social-mobility mission. Shares systemwide dynamics (Chancellor's Office tuition setting, shared services, CSU-IP study abroad) that make it a structural peer.

Broad incumbents

• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): The flagship UC campus in Los Angeles and the dominant higher-education brand in CSUN's home market. UCLA draws top-tier applicants from the same regional pool and competes for philanthropic capital, faculty talent, and research grants.
• University of Southern California (USC): A private research university in Los Angeles with top-ranked film school (competing directly with CSUN's Top 25 program), strong engineering, and entertainment industry ties. Competes for the same creative-economy talent pipeline.
• University of California, Riverside: A UC campus in the Inland Empire with comparable HSI designation and a similar focus on first-generation and underrepresented students. Competes with CSUN for California-resident STEM and social-mobility narratives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csunorthridge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CalStateNorthridge
• Facebookfacebook.com/calstatenorthridge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/california-state-university-northridge
• Instagraminstagram.com/csun_edu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California State University, Northridge