CA
California State University-Northridge
3.55 incidents / 1,000 students
Northridge, CA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
California State University-Northridge
Across 2022–2024, California State University-Northridge reported 171 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Motor Vehicle Theft). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: San Jose State University.
- 3.55
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,403
- Rank of 2,072
- #261
- CA rank
- 38,313
- Enrolled students
3.55 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
California State University-Northridge reports 3.55 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 7% above North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Similar-enrollment scored peers: North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1.16/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); University of California-Davis (15.52/1k); San Diego State University (1.36/1k); California State University-Long Beach (1.17/1k); California State University-Fullerton (1.51/1k); University of California-San Diego (13.49/1k); California State University-Sacramento (3.73/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Motor Vehicle Theft.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 3.55
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,403
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 68%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 122
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 110608 · California State University-Northridge 3.55/1k score rate · #1,403/2,072
RATE-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-HIGH 3.55/1k
- RANK-LOWER #1,403/2,072
- ST-MID #261 in state
- PEER-FINISH The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · ±0.14
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 408%
- CAT-LEAD Motor Vehicle Th…
- ENR-LARGE 38,313
- FIRE-REPORT 5 fires
Nearest enrollment peer: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (-0.14/1k)
California State University-Northridge sheet RATE-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT · peer The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (-0.14/1k). National rank #1,403 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
California State University-Northridge reports 3.55 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 7% above North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Similar-enrollment scored peers: North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1.16/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); University of California-Davis (15.52/1k); San Diego State University (1.36/1k); California State University-Long Beach (1.17/1k); California State University-Fullerton (1.51/1k); University of California-San Diego (13.49/1k); California State University-Sacramento (3.73/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Motor Vehicle Theft.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around California State University-Northridge
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest California on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and · lowest peer 1.16
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — lowest peer
1.16 per 1,000 students
- University of South Carolina-Columbia · near 2.57
University of South Carolina-Columbia — near
2.57 per 1,000 students
- North Carolina State University · near
North Carolina State University at Raleigh — near
2.99 per 1,000 students
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · near
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville — near
3.41 per 1,000 students
- California State University-Northridge · this campus
California State University-Northridge — this campus
3.55 per 1,000 students
- University of Colorado Boulder · highest peer
University of Colorado Boulder — highest peer
6.47 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around California State University-Northridge's 3.55/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
California State University-Northridge increased from 25 to 122 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 CA 4-year peers in this comparison, California State University-Northridge is larger than 78% and safer-reporting than 39% - the larger, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- California State Universit…: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University | 11,902 | 2.77 | 0 | 44 |
| California State University-East Bay | 12,326 | 2.60 | 3 | 50 |
| Foothill College | 12,949 | 0.23 | 6 | 89 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | 13,532 | 0.59 | 8 | 81 |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills | 15,182 | 4.22 | 11 | 33 |
| California State University-Chico | 15,257 | 2.16 | 14 | 58 |
| Cypress College | 15,924 | 1.57 | 17 | 67 |
| California State University-San Marcos | 16,237 | 1.85 | 19 | 64 |
| Rio Hondo College | 17,441 | 0.17 | 22 | 92 |
| Modesto Junior College | 18,258 | 0.00 | 25 | 97 |
| California State University-San Bernardino | 18,492 | 2.00 | 28 | 61 |
| California State University-Northridge (this campus) | 38,313 | 3.55 | 78 | 39 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
Enrollment scale
How campus size shapes the safety figures
With 38,313 enrolled students, California State University-Northridge is the 69th largest of the 5,585 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment, ahead of 5,516 of them. Closest same-state same-level scored peers by enrollment: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); University of California-Davis (15.52/1k); San Diego State University (1.36/1k); California State University-Long Beach (1.17/1k); California State University-Fullerton (1.51/1k); University of California-San Diego (13.49/1k); California State University-Sacramento (3.73/1k). The score above normalizes 2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe (North Carolina State University at Raleigh is the nearest similar-enrollment comparison on this profile).
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at California State University-Northridge rose from 25 to 122 (+388%). The increase shows up in Motor Vehicle Theft (8 to 91), Fondling (3 to 16) and Rape (3 to 8). Falling over the same period: Arson (5 to 0) and Burglary (6 to 4).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at California State University-Northridge
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 7 Clery Act categories here: Motor Vehicle Theft, Fondling, Rape, Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Arson and Robbery. Motor Vehicle Theft accounts for most of them.
The remaining 4 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Negligent Manslaughter and Statutory Rape. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyCalifornia State University-Northridge: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 408% (24 → 122 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 122 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 91 | 8 | 9 |
| Fondling | 16 | 3 | 1 |
| Rape | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Burglary | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Aggravated Assault | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Arson | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 17 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 3 | 18 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 12 | 3 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 11 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 12 | 4 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 8 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 2 | 0 |
California State University-Northridge vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
NC
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
2.99 incidents / 1,000 students
SC
University of South Carolina-Columbia
2.57 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where California State University-Northridge sits on price and outcomes
At $7,021, California State University-Northridge's reported average net price is cheaper than 15% among 492 California colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $20,161.
- $7,021
- average net price
- $20,161
- California median
- 3.2×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $13,135
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $4,905, while those above $110,000 record $18,040 - roughly 3.7 times as much. A published average of $7,021 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Six years after enrolling, the median former student who received federal aid reports $44,372 - about 6.3 times one year of the reported net price here. On that ratio the cost is recovered quickly.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $7,458
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $20,058
- Avg Net Price
- $7,021
- Median Debt
- $13,872
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 56%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 93%
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 57%
- Retention Rate
- 73%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $44,372
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $59,115
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 71%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 216 similar institutions by enrollment size.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety Score 2.99
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 38,532 enrolled
Safety Score 2.57
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 38,728 enrolled
Safety Score 3.41
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · 38,799 enrolled
Safety Score 6.47
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · 38,857 enrolled
Safety Score 1.16
Closest by National Rank
California State University-Northridge (national rank #1403) sits near Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (#1404) and Daemen University (#1402) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
National Rank #1404
Daemen University
Amherst, NY
National Rank #1402
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI
National Rank #1401
Tulsa Welding School-Houston
Houston, TX
National Rank #1405
Friends University
Wichita, KS
National Rank #1406
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for California State University-Northridge, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety score 2.99
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 38,532 enrolled
Safety score 2.57
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 38,728 enrolled
Safety score 3.41
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · 38,799 enrolled
Safety score 6.47
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · 38,857 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
Boston University
Boston, MA · 37,737 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · 37,163 enrolled
Safety score 3.85
Collin County Community College District
Mckinney, TX · 39,548 enrolled
Safety score 0.56
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Daemen University
Amherst, NY · 2,540 enrolled
Safety score 3.54
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI · 10,446 enrolled
Safety score 3.54
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · 11,790 enrolled
Safety score 3.56
Hope College
Holland, MI · 3,395 enrolled
Safety score 3.53
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · 11,886 enrolled
Safety score 3.53
Friends University
Wichita, KS · 1,961 enrolled
Safety score 3.57
University of the District of Columbia
Washington, DC · 4,202 enrolled
Safety score 3.57
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
Middletown, PA · 4,478 enrolled
Safety score 3.57
Frequently Asked Questions
Is California State University-Northridge safe?
California State University-Northridge has a safety score of 3.55 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,403 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k). Same-state same-level set: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); University of California-Davis (15.52/1k); San Diego State University (1.36/1k); California State University-Long Beach (1.17/1k); California State University-Fullerton (1.51/1k); University of California-San Diego (13.49/1k); California State University-Sacramento (3.73/1k).
What crimes are reported at California State University-Northridge?
For calendar year 2024, California State University-Northridge reported Motor Vehicle Theft (91), Fondling (16), Rape (8), Burglary (4) and Aggravated Assault (3) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does California State University-Northridge compare to similar schools?
California State University-Northridge reports 7% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1.16/1k). Same-state same-level set: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); University of California-Davis (15.52/1k); San Diego State University (1.36/1k); California State University-Long Beach (1.17/1k); California State University-Fullerton (1.51/1k); University of California-San Diego (13.49/1k); California State University-Sacramento (3.73/1k).
Does California State University-Northridge have fire safety data?
Yes. California State University-Northridge reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 5 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.