Cal State Long Beach vs. CSU Channel Islands

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Long Beach in Long Beach, CA with California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Long Beach is larger than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (42,003 students vs. 5,592 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Long Beach is located in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting); California State University Channel Islands is in Camarillo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Long Beach is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Channel Islands is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Long Beach 23:1; California State University Channel Islands 16:1.

Cal State Long Beach vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or CSU Channel Islands? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than CSU Channel Islands ($10,607 vs. $10,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Channel Islands are 0.8% lower than at California State University Long Beach ($15,490 vs. $15,612).
• California State University Long Beach is 2.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Channel Islands (about $191 more per year; $7,350.00 vs. $7,159.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1% higher at Cal State Long Beach than at California State University Channel Islands (about $191 more per year; $19,950.00 vs. $19,759.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Channel Islands than at California State University Long Beach (79% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 6.2% larger than aid received by California State University Long Beach students ($12,528 vs. $11,795).

Cal State Long Beach vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach or CSU Channel Islands? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSU Channel Islands and Cal State Long Beach.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Long Beach 1020/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Long Beach 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State Long Beach - Test-free; CSU Channel Islands - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State Long Beach Nov 30, 2026; CSU Channel Islands Jul 30, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22).
• CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Cal State Long Beach (46.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.7% at Cal State Long Beach vs. 6.2% at CSU Channel Islands.

Cal State Long Beach vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State Long Beach and CSU Channel Islands? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• The graduation rate at Cal State Long Beach is the same as at California State University Channel Islands (54% vs. 54%).
• Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $46,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Long Beach graduates have a $183 lower median loan debt than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($15,000 vs. $15,183).
• Among borrowers, Cal State Long Beach graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSU Channel Islands graduates ($155 vs. $156).
• More Cal State Long Beach graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Channel Islands students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.