California State University Channel Islands

What California State University Channel Islands does

California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) is a public, four-year university operating as one of 23 campuses within the California State University system. Founded in 2002 and headquartered at 1 University Drive, Camarillo, California, the institution enrolls a student body in which 60% are first-generation college students and 80% receive financial aid. CSUCI delivers over 50 academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, with an 18:1 student-faculty ratio, a 91% admission rate, and a defined Hispanic-Serving Institution designation. The Class of 2026 commencement featured 2,079 eligible graduates across cohorts in disciplines ranging from nursing, biology, and psychology to business administration, communication, and environmental science. Distributed operations include an off-campus Goleta site supporting nursing and select programs.

CSUCI's core technology stack is conventional higher-education infrastructure: a LearningStudio-based learning management system for course delivery, Zoom for synchronous virtual instruction, and a PeopleGrove-backed career mentoring platform branded Dolphin Connect that links students with alumni and industry mentors. Sub-brands include OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) serving adults aged 50+, Dolphin Pantry for student basic-needs support, and CSUCI Alert for emergency notifications. Online program delivery is concentrated in Extended University, including an asynchronous BS Business Administration degree-completion program targeting military and working-adult learners. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities are referenced in the available material; the institution's technology posture is platform-consumer rather than platform-builder.

The revenue model mirrors that of a state public university: tuition and fees (subscription-style annual and pay-as-you-go for online programs), California state appropriations through the CSU system, auxiliary services (housing, dining, bookstore), and philanthropic contributions from donors, alumni, and corporate sponsors. Revenue is not publicly disclosed at the campus level in the source data. Marketing is conducted primarily through the CSUCI website, social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram), the biannual Channel Magazine, news releases, email, and on-campus tours. Distribution channels span on-campus instruction, Extended University online programs, off-campus clinical placements, OLLI (in-person and virtual), and Veterans Resource Center programming.

Name

California State University Channel Islands

Legal name

California State University Channel Islands

Website

https://csuci.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

California State University Channel Islands is a public four-year university and part of the California State University system, founded in 2002 in Camarillo. It serves roughly 7,000 traditional, first-generation, military, and adult learners through 50-plus undergraduate and graduate programs, online degree-completion tracks, and the OLLI lifelong learning institute.

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

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Online degree completion
• Lifelong learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Camarillo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university tuition revenue from undergraduate and graduate programs, including online degree completion programs
2. State Funding: California State University system funding from state government appropriations
3. Private Donations and Grants: Philanthropic contributions from donors, alumni, and corporate sponsors; grant funding from foundations and government agencies
4. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from housing, dining services, bookstore, and other campus auxiliary operations

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California State University Channel Islands is a public four-year university offering bachelor's and master's degree programs, teaching and nursing credentials, certificates, and continuing/lifelong learning courses. It serves approximately 6,500 students on its Camarillo campus and through Extended University online pathways, including specialized programs for first-generation, transfer, veteran, and adult learners. The university delivers instruction through on-campus classes, online degree completion, clinical/field placements, and the OLLI membership program for older adults.

Product overview

California State University Channel Islands operates a suite of digital products and educational services. The primary digital presence is the CSUCI Website (csuci.edu), which serves as the central hub for all university information. Key service products include Dolphin Connect, a career mentoring platform; CSUCI Alert, an emergency notification system; OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) for senior learners; and the BS Business Online degree completion program. These products are offered through the university's digital infrastructure without a traditional SaaS platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute): Lifelong learning program for adults 50 and older offering intellectually stimulating college-level courses
• Dolphin Connect
• Dolphin Pantry
• Islands Café

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's degree programs in arts, sciences, business, education, and health & human services offered to incoming freshmen, transfer students, and continuing learners at the Camarillo campus and online.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's degree programs designed for post-baccalaureate students seeking advanced credentials in fields such as business, education, computer science, and health sciences.
• Extended University Online Degree Completion Programs Fully online bachelor's degree completion pathways targeting working adults and place-bound learners who already hold some college credit.
• Credential Programs State-approved teaching and nursing credentials for candidates seeking California licensure, combining coursework with supervised clinical or fieldwork placements.
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUCI Membership-based non-credit program for adults aged 50+ offering lectures, workshops, and classes across liberal arts, sciences, and current affairs in a community setting.
• English Language Institute

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% admission rate with 80% of admitted students receiving financial aid
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Food Share of Ventura CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing emergency food assistance through CSUCI's Dolphin Pantry. Food Share serves 250,000 people annually in Ventura County and provides food supplies for campus food insecurity programs.
• American Plastics Corp.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamarillo-based plastics company donated plastic materials at no cost for COVID-19 3D-printed protective face shield production to support Ventura County Medical Center.
• DeAnza Academy of Technology and the Arts (STEMbassadors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent STEM program partnered with CSUCI faculty, staff, and student volunteers to print and deliver 3D face shields to Ventura County Medical Center during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ventura Unified School District (VUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSUCI School of Education credential students recorded 70+ instructional video and audio readings for VUSD elementary students during COVID-19 school closures, supporting English language learners and students needing read-aloud accommodations.
• Dignity Health (St. John's Regional Medical Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical training partnership through COPE Health Scholars Program providing healthcare exposure and patient care experience for CSUCI Health Science students in Oxnard.
• Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOncology research internship and employment site for CSUCI Health Science student Bryan Magana, providing hands-on research experience.
• Oxnard Performing Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for CSUCI Early Childhood Studies students providing virtual STEAM instruction to 50 community children through educational programs.
• Cabrillo Economic Development CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity agency partner providing educational programs for low-income children; partnered with CSUCI Early Childhood Studies students for virtual STEAM activities.
• Stone BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistribution partnership with MadeWest Brewing Company (CSUCI alumni-founded) covering 600+ locations in Southern California.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cal State San Marcos: Small-to-mid-sized CSU campus serving a similar Southern California demographic, including large first-generation and Hispanic-Serving populations, with comparable online and continuing-education offerings through Cal State Online.
• Cal State East Bay: Bay Area CSU campus with similar enrollment scale and a large share of first-generation and minority students, operating comparable online and continuing-education programs.
• CSU Stanislaus: Smaller CSU campus with a comparable mix of first-generation and transfer students and similar emphasis on regional workforce development in California's Central Valley.
• Western Governors University: National, non-profit online university specializing in competency-based degree completion programs for working adults — a direct competitor to CSUCI's online BS Business Administration completion track.
• Cal State Monterey Bay: Newer CSU campus founded in the same era as CSUCI, serving a similar regional, non-traditional student mix with extended-learning and workforce-aligned programs.
• Cal Poly Humboldt: Regional CSU campus of comparable size and recency in system reclassification, serving a non-traditional Northern California student body with similar access-oriented mission.
• CSU Dominguez Hills: Urban-serving CSU campus in Carson with comparable size, minority-serving profile, and a focus on non-traditional and working-adult learners in Southern California.
• Cal State San Bernardino: Mid-sized CSU campus and Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Inland Empire with overlapping first-generation student demographics and similar online extension programming.
• Cal State Bakersfield: Similar-sized CSU campus in California's Central Valley with comparable first-generation student share, regional employer focus, and extended/online programming through the CSU system.

Regional players

• National University: San Diego-based private non-profit university with a large online and adult-learner footprint in California, competing for the same transfer and working-professional students that CSUCI's Extended University targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csuci
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ciwatch
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSUChannelIslands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/california-state-university-channel-islands-extend
• Instagraminstagram.com/csuci
• Pinterestpinterest.com/csuci

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about California State University Channel Islands