California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State Long Beach

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Long Beach is larger than California State University-Fresno based on total student enrollment (42,003 students vs. 24,427 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Fresno is located in Fresno, CA (Large City setting); California State University Long Beach is in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Fresno is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Long Beach is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Fresno 22:1; California State University Long Beach 23:1.

California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State Long Beach Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno or Cal State Long Beach? 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 Fresno than Cal State Long Beach ($7,834 vs. $10,607).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 23.4% lower than at California State University Long Beach ($11,960 vs. $15,612).
• California State University Fresno and Cal State Long Beach have the same published in-state tuition ($7,350.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at California State University-Fresno as at California State University Long Beach ($19,950.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at California State University Long Beach (85% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fresno students is 4.5% larger than aid received by California State University Long Beach students ($12,326 vs. $11,795).

California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State Long Beach Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Fresno or Cal State Long Beach? 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 Cal State Long Beach and California State University-Fresno.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University Long Beach (1130) is 130 points higher than at California State University-Fresno (1000).
• Incoming Cal State Long Beach students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (23 vs. 18 at California State University-Fresno).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 890/1100; California State University Long Beach 1020/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 16/21; California State University Long Beach 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Fresno - Test-free; Cal State Long Beach - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; Cal State Long Beach Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Cal State Long Beach (46.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 16.7% at Cal State Long Beach.

California State University-Fresno vs. Cal State Long Beach Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno and Cal State Long Beach? 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).

• California State University Long Beach's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University Fresno's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,100 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Long Beach and California State University-Fresno graduates have the same median loan debt ($15,000 vs. $15,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, California State University Long Beach and California State University-Fresno graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($155 vs. $155).
• More Cal State Long Beach graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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.