Cal State Dominguez Hills vs Chico State: Softball Program Comparison
Two D2 programs in the CCAA. Cal State Dominguez Hills lists $1,000 less in out-of-state tuition; Chico State graduates 17 points more of its students.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Cal State Dominguez Hills if…
- You would be in-state: Cal State Dominguez Hills is $1,000 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Chico State.
Lean Chico State if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Chico State graduates 17 percentage points more of its students than Cal State Dominguez Hills.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Chico State |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $7,064 — Cal State Dominguez Hills leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition | $8,064 |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $18,944 — Cal State Dominguez Hills leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition | $19,944 |
| Room & board | $16,886 | $16,020 — Chico State leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $23,950 | $24,084 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $35,830 | $35,964 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Chico State |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 47% | 64% — Chico State leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $57,162/yr | — |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,807 | — |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 24% | — |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Chico State |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 93% | — |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 15,181 | 14,523 |
| Where it is | Carson, CA | Chico, CA |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Chico State |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Katie Garcia | Angel Shamblin |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Chico State |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NCAA Division II, so the scholarship rules are identical: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.
Cal State Dominguez Hills
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Chico State
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Cal State Dominguez Hills vs Chico State: common questions
- Is Cal State Dominguez Hills or Chico State cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $35,830 a year out of state in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Cal State Dominguez Hills or Chico State?
- Chico State, at 64% against 47% at Cal State Dominguez Hills (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NCAA Division II: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
- How do I contact the coaches at Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State?
- Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.
Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.
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