Cal State Long Beach vs. USD

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Long Beach is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (42,003 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Long Beach is located in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Long Beach is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Long Beach 23:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

Cal State Long Beach vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or USD? 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 Long Beach than USD ($10,607 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 21.6% lower than at University of San Diego ($15,612 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 709.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State Long Beach (about $52,136 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 198.2% higher at USD than at California State University Long Beach (about $39,536 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at California State University Long Beach (84% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 247.3% larger than aid received by California State University Long Beach students ($40,965 vs. $11,795).

Cal State Long Beach vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach or USD? 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 USD and Cal State Long Beach.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Long Beach 1020/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Long Beach 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State Long Beach - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State Long Beach Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7).
• USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.4%) than Cal State Long Beach (46.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.7% at Cal State Long Beach vs. 12.4% at USD.

Cal State Long Beach vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State Long Beach and USD? 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).

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than California State University Long Beach's (54%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $19,100 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Long Beach graduates have a $7,904 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($15,000 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, Cal State Long Beach graduates have an estimated $81 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($155 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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.