Public
Accredited · Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Las Vegas, Nevada
College of Southern Nevada — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$13,270Annual Cost
$38,087Grad Salary
29.6%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Avg Net Price
$6,329
Need-Based Aid
29.6% receive Pell
College of Southern Nevada is Nevada's largest and most ethnically diverse higher education institution. Established in 1971, CSN serves over 30,000 students across three main campuses.
The college offers unique programs in hospitality and gaming management leveraging its Las Vegas location. CSN's 'Workforce and Economic Development' division provides customized training for local businesses.
College of Southern Nevada Acceptance Rate
College of Southern Nevada (CSN) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
College of Southern Nevada Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
College of Southern Nevada follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
CSN reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Foundation scholarship priority: 2026/03/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at CSN
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on College of Southern Nevada's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if CSN is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into CSN Without SAT or ACT?
CSN's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for CSN
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into CSN is the easy part. What matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
Earn Your AA/AS/AB and You're Guaranteed Into UNLV - No Re-Application
This is the most structurally valuable fact about attending CSN: students who complete an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Business degree from CSN are guaranteed admission to UNLV and receive credit for meeting UNLV's entire lower-division general education core curriculum. You do not need to re-apply to UNLV. You do not need UNLV to evaluate your courses individually. You arrive at UNLV as a junior with a cleared general education record. UNLV advisors are on-site at all three CSN campuses through the UNLV/CSN Transfer Program (UCTP) to help you map the course sequence from day one. The same AA/AS holds for guaranteed transfer to University of Nevada Reno under the NSHE system guarantee. Declare your transfer intent with a UCTP advisor in your first semester - the aligned two-year course sequence is different from CSN's open-enrollment default path.
The Guaranteed Transfer Program Is Your Second Chance at UNLV - Know It Exists
If you applied to UNLV and were denied, CSN's Guaranteed Transfer Program (GTP) is a structured pathway specifically for recently denied UNLV applicants. You enroll at CSN, complete half of your bachelor's degree's equivalent credits - earning an AA, AS, or AB within three years - while maintaining full-time enrollment, and then transfer to UNLV with junior standing without submitting another UNLV application. Sign the GTP Acknowledgment Form when you enroll at CSN; this locks your pathway. The GTP exists because UNLV and CSN both recognize that many students who are not yet UNLV-ready at 18 become fully qualified UNLV students after two years of structured community college coursework. The pathway is real and well-established; thousands of students have used it.
Hospitality and Casino Management Programs Are Industry-Specific and Nationally Ranked
CSN's Hospitality Management programs hold the ACPHA "Exemplary" designation - the highest accreditation tier in hospitality education - and offer five distinct specializations: Casino Management, Culinary Arts, Food and Beverage Management, Hotel Management, and Tourism/Convention and Event Planning. The Culinary Arts program is ranked 7th nationally (Best Choice Schools). Las Vegas is one of a small number of cities in the world where these specializations are not academic exercises - they're trained on the doorstep of the Strip, with industry partners in the casino, hotel, and convention ecosystems that produce the most jobs in the region. For students targeting careers in hospitality, gaming, or culinary arts, CSN is not a stepping stone to somewhere else. It is the industry-specific program with the most direct professional pipeline in Southern Nevada, period.
Apply to the UCTP $1,000 Scholarship Before March 31
The UNLV/CSN Transfer Program awards ten $1,000 scholarships each academic year to CSN students planning to transfer to UNLV. The application opens in mid-January and closes March 31. Awards are based on academic record, transfer intent, and community involvement - not just GPA. UNLV Transition Advisors on each CSN campus can help you prepare a competitive application. Ten scholarships among thousands of transferring students is competitive, but it is a real award administered through an established partnership, and the award requires recipients to engage with the Rebel Transfer Student Organization (RTSO) - which itself is a networking asset as you move from CSN to UNLV. Apply every year you are at CSN until you transfer.
Expert Insight:
CSN's open admissions creates the illusion that getting into competitive programs - nursing, dental hygiene, and certain allied health programs - is equally open. It is not. Health science programs at CSN have their own prerequisites, competitive selection processes, and waitlists that operate entirely outside general CSN admission. Additionally, 74% of CSN students attend part-time, which means many students take significantly longer than two years to complete an associate degree and may lose momentum toward their transfer goal. Students who enroll without a clear transfer or program plan frequently discover at 40 or 60 credits that their courses have not been building toward either a complete associate degree or a competitive program application. Meet with a UCTP or CSN academic advisor in your first month of enrollment to build a two-year map - not your first year, not your second semester. First month.
CSN Profile
Full Name
College of Southern Nevada (CSN)
City
Las Vegas
State
Nevada
ZIP Code
89146-1164
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Is a CSN Degree Worth It?
At $13,270/year against a $38,087 median graduate salary, CSN is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $65,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.19%.
How much does a degree from CSN Cost?
The sticker price is $13,270/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is closer to $6,329.
29.6% of students receive a Pell Grant and 9.6% take federal loans at CSN. File your FAFSA early and list CSN as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a CSN Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $38,087. That's somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at CSN
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About CSN Admissions
Median earnings for College of Southern Nevada graduates sit around $38,087 a year.
At about $13,270 a year, College of Southern Nevada is on the more affordable end.
About 29.6% receive a Pell Grant at College of Southern Nevada. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
College of Southern Nevada follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Foundation scholarship priority: 2026/03/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.