Career orientation
highProfessional programs align with a large regional economy.
COLLEGE FIT GUIDE
Evidence checked · 2026-10-06
California State University, Long Beach
Cal State Long Beach is a large public university with strong programs in business, engineering, nursing, education, arts, design, and the sciences. Its diverse student body and Los Angeles–Orange County location create extensive opportunity, while scale and commuting require initiative.
- Applied learning in coastal Southern California
- Academic choices and structure
- Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
QUICK READ
- Location
- Long Beach, California · Urban setting
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 35,924
- Aggregate admission rate
- 46.3%
- Average net price
- $10,440
FIT SNAPSHOT
How this environment may feel
These are directional interpretations of the college environment, not a score or universal verdict.
Urban access
highLong Beach and the wider region provide extensive access.
Learning by doing
highStudios and internships connect study with practice.
Community closeness
neutralProgram cohorts can create smaller circles.
WHY IT MAY FIT
Consider California State University, Long Beach if…
- You want broad public-university programs.
- You want Southern California career access.
- You want engineering, business, or the arts.
- You want a diverse urban campus.
POSSIBLE TENSIONS
It may not fit if…
- You do not want a small residential college.
- You do not want uniformly small classes.
- You do not want a classic college town.
- You do not want minimal commuter influence.
WHAT STANDS OUT
The environment behind the name
Applied learning in coastal Southern California
Internships, research, clinical work, studios, and employer partnerships connect programs with the region.
Source: Undergraduate Research
Academic choices and structure
Broad professional and liberal programs serve residential, commuter, and transfer students.
Source: Academics
A setting that shapes the experience
Long Beach, California gives students a distinct context for campus life, work, community, and recreation.
Source: Undergraduate Research
LOOK CLOSER
Questions worth asking before you decide
Use these prompts during a visit, an information session, or a conversation with a current student.
- 1
Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
Cal State Long Beach documents substantial opportunities, but availability can differ by program, timing, prerequisites, capacity, and student initiative.
Source: Undergraduate Research
- 2
Interpret scale and selectivity carefully
Federal data report 35,924 undergraduates and an aggregate admission rate of 46.3%. These figures describe the institution, not an individual applicant’s probability or a particular program’s experience.
Source: California State University, Long Beach institutional data
- 3
Use the current price for your circumstances
Federal data report an average net price of $10,440. This historical average is not a quote; residency, income, housing, aid eligibility, and program costs can materially change what a family pays.
Source: California State University, Long Beach institutional data
FEDERAL CLERY DATA
Campus safety statistics, with context
Federal Clery records describe reported incidents within defined campus geography. They are not a measure of crime prevalence or an overall safety rating.
2024 reported on-campus offenses:48
Per 1,000 enrolled:1.1
Reporting campuses:1
COMPARE THE TRADEOFFS
Schools that sharpen the question
A useful comparison for students evaluating Cal State Long Beach across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating Cal State Long Beach across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating Cal State Long Beach across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
EVIDENCE
Sources and method
View the reviewed sources
- Undergraduate Research - California State University, Long Beach (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- Academics - California State University, Long Beach (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- California State University, Long Beach institutional data - U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (federal, retrieved 2026-10-06)
Navastra interprets Cal State Long Beach’s documented academic environment, setting, opportunities, and federal reference fields through preference dimensions. The page describes documented structures, not every student’s experience. It does not calculate an individual fit score, predict admission, or estimate a financial-aid award. Read the methodology →
Programs, policies, costs, and campus life change. Verify current details with the college ↗
PERSONALIZE THE QUESTION