The CSU’s are public universities funded by California taxpayers. The Cal States are very popular with residents because they are very good and they are cheap for residents. Northridge has some excellent programs; it is safe, impacted, and it is sunny southern California.
State-paying residents are not going to provide scholarships to have OOS students attend full schools. So OOS students pay full fees. Be prepared to pay $36K per year. Coming to California for educational purposes immediately identifies anyone as an OOS full pay for 4 years. Gaining instate residency status is almost impossible.
The CSUN tuition and fees page shows the INSTATE costs. http://www.csun.edu/stufin/tuition. You have to calculate your additional costs of the OOS supplemental fees per unit and semester.
The cost of attendance page: http://www.csun.edu/prospectivestudents/cost-attendance is a little more accurate with costs noted to be anywhere from 22K to 24K but this fee does not include the extra $372 per unit required of OOS students. So add another $10K per year for the OOS estimated unit fees.
Add to that, the cost of living in California is very expensive. Our public transportation is lousy, so add some dollars for that. Most people drive because they have to.
Read our post: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-colleges/1802004-so-you-want-to-come-to-california-for-college-p1.html