Cuesta College vs. Long Beach City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA with Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Long Beach City College is larger than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (24,985 students vs. 11,283 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cuesta College is located in San Luis Obispo, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Long Beach City College is in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting).
• Cuesta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Long Beach City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cuesta College 27:1; Long Beach City College 29:1.

Cuesta College vs. Long Beach City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or Long Beach City College? 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 Long Beach City College than Cuesta College ($7,565 vs. $16,541).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Cuesta College and Long Beach City College ($22,086).
• Long Beach City College is 15.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cuesta College (about $206 more per year; $1,556.00 vs. $1,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.9% higher at Long Beach City College than at Cuesta College (about $1,534 more per year; $12,544.00 vs. $11,010.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Long Beach City College than at Cuesta College (91% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Long Beach City College students is 52% larger than aid received by Cuesta College students ($6,299 vs. $4,143).

Cuesta College vs. Long Beach City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or Long Beach City College? 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 Long Beach City College and Cuesta College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cuesta College - Open admission; Long Beach City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cuesta College Aug 13, 2027; Long Beach City College Aug 17, 2027.

Cuesta College vs. Long Beach City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cuesta College and Long Beach City College? 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).

• Graduates from Cuesta College earn a median of about $8,000 more per year than Long Beach City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,800 vs. $32,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Long Beach City College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 24%)

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.