Cal State Long Beach vs. USC

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

 Cal State Long Beach USC
Location Long Beach, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 38,973 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State Long Beach USC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $63,468
Room & Board $14,932 $17,436
Avg Net Price $9,346 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 71%

Admission

 Cal State Long Beach USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 69,062
Admitted 29,851 8,304
Acceptance Rate 40% 12%
Enrolled % 18% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 20/26 32/35
SAT Range 1020/1240 1450/1550
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

Academics

 Cal State Long Beach USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal State Long Beach USC
Graduation Rate 54% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $155 $231

Diversity

 Cal State Long Beach USC
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 40%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 39% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Cal State Long Beach USC
% In-State 97% 42%
% Out-of-State 2% 40%

Campus

 Cal State Long Beach USC
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

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Cal State Long Beach based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 38,973 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. USC Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern California is 1,005.3% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.2% higher at USC than California State University Long Beach ($63,468.00 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 USC ($9,346 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 16.8% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($14,932 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than University of Southern California (75% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 377.5% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($45,262 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 335 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming USC students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
  • Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (40%) than USC (12%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than California State University Long Beach (90% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $34,400 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $51,100)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $7,375 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,375)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($155 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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