Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Large city

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, California. 35,924 undergraduates. Admits 46% of applicants.

70%Graduation rate16 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$9,426Average net price per year53% below the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$69,554Median earnings 10 years after starting18% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$14,195Median debt at graduation34% below the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($14,195) equals 20% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($69,554). That is a light load relative to pay.

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$6,443
$30,000–$48,000$6,576
$48,001–$75,000$7,576
$75,001–$110,000$11,462
Over $110,000$19,919

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $8,338 in-state, $21,658 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate70%54%
Return for second year87%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$54,700$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$69,554$58,912
Median debt at graduation$14,195$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

165 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing174$104,884$116,568$13,655
Computer Engineering54$78,693$113,047$18,346
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician64$86,701$111,652$15,312
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering119$79,391$108,655$17,620
Computer Science335$72,641$107,571$14,990
Mechanical Engineering247$72,415$103,068$13,339
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering122$81,796$101,795$14,576
Civil Engineering132$77,361$98,948$15,157
Chemical Engineering42$68,475$96,739$22,308
Physics32$45,967$90,996$17,151
Applied Mathematics—$66,306$90,484—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology54$52,488$86,760$11,839
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences19—$84,068—
Business/Managerial Economics44$52,628$83,082$14,426
Statistics18—$81,646—
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians6$50,749$80,311—
Accounting and Related Services—$62,463$80,064$13,913
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology26$51,280$79,581—
Finance and Financial Management Services—$56,158$78,901$13,564
Biomedical/Medical Engineering53$76,374—$16,500
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services0$31,661$73,782$12,500
Marketing—$42,288$73,650$11,000
Social Work60$45,614$73,611$12,062
Economics54$46,139$73,540$11,000
Chemistry32$52,955$73,190$13,520
Business Administration, Management and Operations1,399$53,709$72,592$13,000
Human Resources Management and Services—$53,339$71,949$11,908
Health and Medical Administrative Services150$46,324$70,843$8,990
Geography and Cartography37$35,447$69,351$13,000
Criminal Justice and Corrections328$40,508$67,491$11,000
Design and Applied Arts99$48,917$67,445$18,478
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services61—$67,443$18,625
Mathematics73$43,949$66,748$11,000
Communication and Media Studies352$39,638$66,516$13,344
Biology, General333$36,983$65,186$12,472
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness250$29,873$64,441$12,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities293$44,000$62,682$12,914
Political Science and Government173$38,812$61,931$15,000
Public Health—$34,829$61,919$13,320
Natural Resources Conservation and Research53$46,990$61,497$11,250
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies40$43,465$61,027$13,750
Journalism75$36,358$59,982$15,000
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies63$37,734$59,661$15,277
Hospitality Administration/Management56$44,957$57,931$11,000
Sociology315$39,389$57,282$12,500
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions0—$57,238—
Psychology, General689$34,785$56,936$12,500
History129$35,281$56,678$13,457
Area Studies36$33,986$55,788$19,375
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General206$38,145$54,524$11,000
Computer and Information Sciences, General—$54,347—$12,682
International/Globalization Studies22—$53,847$13,973
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services189$34,155$53,219$11,000
Philosophy26$40,209$52,503$14,441
English Language and Literature, General270$35,189$51,817$13,000
Anthropology50$36,776$50,988$12,500
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology68$34,756$49,675$17,174
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication0$29,985$48,280$14,163
Fine and Studio Arts418$26,554$47,921$13,140
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics46$38,796$47,696$11,000
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies—$45,128—$11,000
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics9—$43,225—
Dance36$26,348$42,472$16,250
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication60$42,249—$15,000
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services33$32,040$41,591$11,000
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies0$30,460$41,501$15,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft76$30,328$38,018$15,000
Music108$23,094—$18,624
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas49——$10,865
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering1———
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians3———
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics4———
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics3———
Apparel and Textiles99——$11,250
Nutrition Sciences67———
Religion/Religious Studies4———
Film/Video and Photographic Arts230———
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General225———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

46%Admission rate
23:1Students per faculty member
54%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does California State University-Long Beach cost per year?
The average net price at California State University-Long Beach, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $9,426 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do California State University-Long Beach graduates earn?
Former California State University-Long Beach students earn a median of $69,554 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Long Beach?
70% of California State University-Long Beach students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do California State University-Long Beach graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from California State University-Long Beach is $14,195. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.