Los Angeles, CA · Public · 19,562 undergraduates · urban
California State University-Los Angeles
Less selective
Cal State LA is an urban public university closely tied to Los Angeles healthcare, education, government, engineering, business, and community-serving professions.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in affordability, and exceptional in mobility.- Admission
- 91.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 67.5%
32,748 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$59,211 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets California State University-Los Angeles apart
Academic design
Engineering, computer science, business, nursing, education, natural sciences, and social sciences dominate many career-oriented pathways.
Campus pattern
East Los Angeles location provides direct access to downtown and surrounding employment centers.
Career & value signal
Especially practical for students building careers within Los Angeles schools, hospitals, public agencies, technology, and business.
Can I get in?
91.9% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
32,748About 92 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
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.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for California State University-Los Angeles, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What California State University-Los Angeles 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
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Engineering, computer science, business, nursing, education, natural sciences, and social sciences dominate many career-oriented pathways.
Make institutional fit specific
Cal State LA is an urban public university closely tied to Los Angeles healthcare, education, government, engineering, business, and community-serving professions.
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.
$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.
Teacher preparationAdmits 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.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
California State University-Los Angeles publishes two merit awards. All of them renew past the first year.
Through the honors college · Merit · Renews
Through the honors college · Merit · Renews
In the season card
These two awards, 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
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at California State University-Los Angeles
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+
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.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
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.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Admits separately
Sociology
Criminal Justice and Corrections
What is campus life like?
California State University-Los Angeles beyond the classroom
East Los Angeles location provides direct access to downtown and surrounding employment centers.
A defining academic feature
Engineering, computer science, business, nursing, education, natural sciences, and social sciences dominate many career-oriented pathways.
What shapes an ordinary week
East Los Angeles location provides direct access to downtown and surrounding employment centers.
Where the degree can lead
Especially practical for students building careers within Los Angeles schools, hospitals, public agencies, technology, and business.