California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, California · Public · 46.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 86/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
California State University Long Beach is a large public institution in Long Beach, California, enrolling about 35,924 undergraduates. CSULB has a CampusROI score of 86 and is rated Strong Value, reflecting a 70.4% earnings premium, a 6.2-year payback period, and median debt of just $14,289. The average net price is $10,440, and Pell Grant recipients make up 50% of the student body, confirming strong access for lower-income students. Six-year average earnings of $40,000 grow to a median $64,403 at ten years. Engineering and nursing programs are exceptional, with nursing earning an A grade ($100,178 year-one earnings) and computer engineering, civil engineering, and biomedical engineering all posting A-grade outcomes. Business administration is CSULB's largest program at over 1,300 graduates and earns a B+ grade.
California State University-Long Beach scores in the top 8% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
California State University-Long Beach
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,350/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,950/yr |
| Average net price | $10,440/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $41,760 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $64,403 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,289 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $151 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 35,924 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $7,350/year ($19,950/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $10,440/year, or roughly $41,760 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,183/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,750/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,289, which works out to about $151 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,000) and comes to 0.36, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,183 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,831 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,705 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,630 |
| $110,001+ | $19,750 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $7,183 net - below even in-state tuition, reflecting robust need-based aid layering. At that cost, a CSULB engineering or nursing degree represents life-changing ROI for low-income California students. The 50% Pell Grant rate confirms this is a core constituency. The 68.9% graduation rate is a genuine asset for persistence at this price point.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $75,000 band pays $7,831 - $9,705 - still remarkably affordable. Middle-income California families can access a top-value public education with minimal debt exposure. The combination of low net price, 68.9% graduation, and strong program-level earnings makes CSULB a defensible public university choice.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Above $75,000, families pay $12,630 - $19,750.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at California State University-Long Beach with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,853 | B+ |
| Psychology | $48,926 | B |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $43,349 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $58,137 | B |
| Computer Science | $101,428 | A |
| Biology | $61,492 | B |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | $50,361 | B |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $60,019 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,513 | B |
| Sociology | $51,982 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing earns an A ROI grade with 157 graduates, year-one earnings of $100,178, and $111,681 at four years. A 0.19 debt-to-earnings ratio against $18,661 median debt is exceptional.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering graduates 60 students with year-one earnings of $79,809 and $98,967 at four years. An A grade and 0.20 debt-to-earnings ratio reflect a premium program at a fraction of private-school costs.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering graduates 134 students at $73,342 in year one and $89,457 at four years with an A grade and 0.22 debt-to-earnings ratio. California's ongoing infrastructure investment and construction demand create strong regional placement for civil engineers, and CSULB's program scale ensures employer recognition.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is CSULB's largest program at 1,359 graduates with year-one earnings of $45,751 and $67,853 at four years. A B+ grade and 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio against just $15,000 median debt are strong for a program this size. The LA County business ecosystem provides breadth of placement options across industries.
Computer Science
Computer Science graduates 306 students with year-one earnings of $60,378 and $101,428 at four years. An A grade and 0.24 debt-to-earnings ratio confirm top performance.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How California State University-Long Beach’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 46.3% |
| Enrollment | 35,924 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 50.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,276 |
CSULB admits 46.3% of applicants. No SAT/ACT data is reported. High school GPA and major-specific requirements drive selection. STEM programs, nursing, and business are the most competitive internally; students who don't gain direct admission to their preferred major may need to complete lower-division prerequisites before declaring. California residents benefit substantially from the $7,350 in-state tuition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
CSULB's greatest competitive advantage is delivering A-grade engineering and nursing outcomes at a cost structure that fully-funded private schools cannot replicate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Long Beach (this school) | 86 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 96 | $16,665 | $90,768 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 93 | $14,355 | $81,054 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | 91 | $17,354 | $73,792 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | 87 | $17,303 | $68,758 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 75 | $5,652 | $59,009 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See California State University-Long Beach side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
CSULB is one of California's best public-value institutions and suits a wide range of students, from STEM-focused high achievers to first-generation students looking for an affordable path into professional careers. Students in engineering, nursing, computer science, or construction technology have access to A-grade ROI programs at a $10,440 net price. Even lower-returning fields like kinesiology, fine arts, and music are made more defensible by CSULB's extremely low debt levels - $12,000 - $21,000 medians across most programs.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, California State University-Long Beach pays off. You'd pay about $10,440 a year after aid ($41,760 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $64,403 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.2 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 68.9% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $14,289 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
California State University-Long Beach: Common Questions
Is California State University-Long Beach worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students California State University-Long Beach pays off. It scores 86/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $10,440 a year after aid ($41,760 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $64,403 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.2 years to earn back.
How much does California State University-Long Beach cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $10,440 a year, or roughly $41,760 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do California State University-Long Beach graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $64,403 ten years after enrolling, roughly $22,603 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off California State University-Long Beach?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 6.2 years for California State University-Long Beach. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do California State University-Long Beach graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,289, against average earnings of $40,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Long Beach?
The six-year graduation rate is 68.9%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.