Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Berkeley

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or University of California Berkeley? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach or UC Berkeley 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. 

UCLA California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Stanford UCSD San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB UCI
California State University Long Beach vs. University of California Berkeley comparison
California State University Long Beach University of California Berkeley College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach University of California Berkeley
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
Location Long Beach, CA Berkeley, CA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 38,973 45,307
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #63
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu berkeley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $14,932 $21,402
Avg Net Price $9,346 $19,257
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $21,669
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 52%

Admission

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 128,209
Admitted 29,851 14,523
Acceptance Rate 40% 11.3%
Enrolled % 18% 46.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 20/26 30/35
SAT Range 1020/1240 1310/1530
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
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%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)

Outcomes

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
Graduation Rate 54% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $74,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $14,200
Median Loan Payment $155 $146

Diversity

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 27%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 39% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 6% 14%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
% In-State 97% 78%
% Out-of-State 2% 11%

Campus

Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley
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 California Berkeley is larger than than Cal State Long Beach based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 38,973 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Berkeley Cost Comparison

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

  • University of California Berkeley is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Berkeley than California State University Long Beach ($41,636.00 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 UC Berkeley ($9,346 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 43.3% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($14,932 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than University of California Berkeley (75% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 128.6% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($21,669 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Berkeley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 341 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
  • Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (40%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Berkeley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than California State University Long Beach (90% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $23,600 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $51,100)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $800 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($14,200 vs. $15,000)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($146 vs. $155)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 69%)

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