Cal State Long Beach vs. VCU

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach or VCU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

JMU Mason California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Virginia Tech San Francisco State Mary Washington College Old Dominion California State University-Northridge UCLA
California State University Long Beach vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
California State University Long Beach Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach Virginia Commonwealth University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
Location Long Beach, CA Richmond, VA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 38,973 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,726
Room & Board $14,932 $12,279
Avg Net Price $9,346 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 83%

Admission

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 18,242
Admitted 29,851 16,600
Acceptance Rate 40% 91%
Enrolled % 18% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 22/30
SAT Range 1020/1240 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2024

Academics

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
Graduation Rate 54% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $155 $240

Diversity

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
% Men 41% 36%
% Women 59% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 50%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 39% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Cal State Long Beach VCU
% In-State 97% 92%
% Out-of-State 2% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 28,082 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. VCU Cost Comparison

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

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 117% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.4% higher at VCU than California State University Long Beach ($33,726.00 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 VCU ($9,346 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 21.6% lower than costs at California State University Long Beach ($12,279 vs. $14,932)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than California State University Long Beach (83% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 32.8% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($12,583 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 41 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Cal State Long Beach (40%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal State Long Beach is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (54% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn on average $3,600 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $47,500)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $8,250 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($155 vs. $240)
  • More Cal State Long Beach graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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