CSU Bakersfield vs. Cal State Long Beach vs. CSU

Should I go to California State University Bakersfield or California State University Long Beach? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Long Beach is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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California State University Bakersfield vs. California State University Long Beach vs. California State University Chico comparison
California State University Bakersfield California State University Long Beach California State University Chico College 4
California State University Bakersfield California State University Long Beach California State University Chico
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Overview

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Location Bakersfield, CA Long Beach, CA Chico, CA
Setting Large City Large City Small City
Enrollment 9,787 40,278 14,523
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #505 #660
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website csub.edu csulb.edu csuchico.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $14,430 $15,612 $16,020
Avg Net Price $6,567 $9,731 $15,187
Avg Grant Aid $12,437 $10,512 $10,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 77% 65%

Admission

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Applied 13,950 79,680 22,263
Admitted 12,303 37,547 20,864
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 47.1% 93.7%
Enrolled % 9.8% 15.3% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.7 3.37
Typical High School Grades - A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 18/24
SAT Range 1020/1240 970/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2025 Nov 30, 2025 Dec 15, 2025

Academics

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Graduation Rate 41% 54% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $51,100 $52,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 69% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,168 $15,000 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $136 $155 $175

Diversity

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
% Men 4% 6% 3%
% Women 11% 9% 6%
Racial Diversity High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 20% 19% 46%
% Black 7% 4% 2%
% Hispanic 54% 39% 29%
% Native American 1% 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5% 5%
% International 4% 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 4% 7%

Students

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
% In-State 97% 97% 97%
% Out-of-State 2% 1% 2%

Campus

 CSU Bakersfield Cal State Long Beach CSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than CSU Bakersfield based on total student enrollment (40,278 students vs. 9,787 students)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Cal State Long Beach Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Long Beach?

  • California State University Bakersfield and Cal State Long Beach cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU Bakersfield as California State University Long Beach ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than Cal State Long Beach ($6,567 vs. $9,731)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Bakersfield are 8.2% lower than costs at California State University Long Beach ($14,430 vs. $15,612)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than California State University Long Beach (88% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 18.3% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($12,437 vs. $10,512)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Cal State Long Beach Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Long Beach? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State Long Beach or CSU Bakersfield .

  • CSU Bakersfield has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than Cal State Long Beach (47.1%)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Cal State Long Beach Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Long Beach? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cal State Long Beach and CSU Bakersfield.

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Long Beach is higher than California State University Bakersfield (54% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn on average $2,800 more per year than CSU Bakersfield graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $48,300)
  • California State University Bakersfield students graduate with a $1,832 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($13,168 vs. $15,000)
  • CSU Bakersfield graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($136 vs. $155)
  • More Cal State Long Beach graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/