Cal State Long Beach vs. ISU

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach or ISU 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 Long Beach vs. Illinois State University comparison
California State University Long Beach Illinois State University College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach Illinois State University
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Overview

Cal State Long Beach ISU
Location Long Beach, CA Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 38,973 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Long Beach ISU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $23,681
Room & Board $14,932 $10,602
Avg Net Price $9,346 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 97%

Admission

Cal State Long Beach ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 19,596
Admitted 29,851 16,899
Acceptance Rate 40% 86.2%
Enrolled % 18% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 21/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

Cal State Long Beach ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Cal State Long Beach ISU
Graduation Rate 54% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $155 $227

Diversity

Cal State Long Beach ISU
% Men 41% 42%
% Women 59% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 19% 77%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 39% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Cal State Long Beach ISU
% In-State 97% 96%
% Out-of-State 2% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 20,683 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. ISU Cost Comparison

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

  • Illinois State University is 106.2% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.4% higher at ISU than California State University Long Beach ($23,681.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than ISU ($9,346 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 40.8% lower than costs at California State University Long Beach ($10,602 vs. $14,932)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than California State University Long Beach (97% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 22.6% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($11,619 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 34 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Cal State Long Beach (40%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Long Beach or ISU? 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 ISU and Cal State Long Beach.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than California State University Long Beach (71% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn on average $2,100 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,000)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($155 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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