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Long Beach, CA · Public · 35,924 undergraduates · urban

California State University-Long Beach

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CSULB combines broad CSU access with programs well matched to Long Beach's aerospace, port, logistics and creative economies.

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Institutional profile

Top tier Exceptional in mobility, and exceptional in affordability.
Academic Solid Affordability Exceptional Career Solid Mobility Exceptional Experience Solid
Academic standing Solid
Affordability Exceptional
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Exceptional
Student experience Solid
Admission
47.1% admitted

79,680 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
82.5%

$64,403 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets California State University-Long Beach apart

Academic design

Engineering, business, arts, design, health and communication programs form major undergraduate hubs.

Campus pattern

Large campus in Long Beach sits several miles from the coast between Los Angeles and Orange County.

Career & value signal

The port complex, aerospace firms and broader Southern California economy create strong regional employment connections.

Can I get in?

47.1% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

79,680

About 47 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 47.1%
Entering class

Record over scores

No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.

Testingnot considered
Return for a second year86.1%
Finish the degree82.5%

Admission by residency

The same either way

Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025

California State University-Long Beach admitted 45.5% of California applicants and 47.3% of applicants from other states. Both groups were admitted at close to the same rate. California students took 97% of the seats in the entering class.

In-state45.5% admitted

38,399 admitted from 84,462 applicants

Out-of-state47.3% admitted

1,005 admitted from 2,123 applicants

International42.8% admitted

701 admitted from 1,639 applicants

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for California State University-Long Beach, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What California State University-Long Beach weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Engineering, business, arts, design, health and communication programs form major undergraduate hubs.

02

Make institutional fit specific

CSULB combines broad CSU access with programs well matched to Long Beach's aerospace, port, logistics and creative economies.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular DecisionNov 30
Application routeCal State Apply

$70 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

Performing and visual artsAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Communication and journalismAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Health professionsAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Hospitality and hotel managementAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$34,462
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$10,000
Affordability profileExceptional

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

California State University-Long Beach publishes one merit award. Each one requires a separate scholarship application. All of them renew past the first year.

Separate scholarship application Merit scholarship

Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · Renews

In the season card

This award, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at California State University-Long Beach

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years82.5%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one86.1%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$64,403

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates597
Median earnings$48,926

Computer Science

Recent graduates306
Median earnings$101,428

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

California State University-Long Beach beyond the classroom

Large campus in Long Beach sits several miles from the coast between Los Angeles and Orange County.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Engineering, business, arts, design, health and communication programs form major undergraduate hubs.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Large campus in Long Beach sits several miles from the coast between Los Angeles and Orange County.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

The port complex, aerospace firms and broader Southern California economy create strong regional employment connections.

35,924 undergraduatesPacificurban setting27.2% of first-year students live on campus