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California State University-Los Angeles

Public Graduate Strong 76/100

California State University-Los Angeles

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Los Angeles, California

About California State University-Los Angeles

California State University-Los Angeles is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Los Angeles, California. It enrolls 19,562 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: calstatela.edu

Acceptance: 91.3%
Graduation: 61.7%
Net Price: $3,967
Median Earnings (10yr): $59,211
Enrollment: 19,562
Student : Faculty: 19:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong

76/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 38

Value 99

Affordability 97

Selectivity 18

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 91.3%, California State University-Los Angeles is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

91.3%

Open

SAT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

ACT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether California State University-Los Angeles is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 44.1 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending California State University-Los Angeles isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $3,967 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$3,967

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

66%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

18%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state): $7,160
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state): $19,760
Room & Board (on-campus): $19,696
Room & Board (off-campus): $20,190
Books & Supplies: $1,054
Other Expenses (on-campus): $6,608
Other Expenses (off-campus): $6,972
Total Cost of Attendance: $18,403

Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$2,877
$30,001 – $48,000

$2,974
$48,001 – $75,000

$5,002
$75,001 – $110,000

$7,355
Over $110,000

$13,578

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,940

10% percentile

$5,500

25% percentile

$13,000

Median percentile

$19,812

75% percentile

$28,892

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $11,000 ↓ $2,000

No Pell $13,304 ↑ $304

Dependent students $10,068 ↓ $2,932

Independent students $13,515 ↑ $515

Female students $12,109 ↓ $891

Male students $11,578 ↓ $1,422

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,100, less than completers ($13,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

62% of full-time students who enrolled at California State University-Los Angeles graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

62%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

72%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered California State University-Los Angeles earn a median of $59,211 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$59,211

Earning > $25K

81%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$47,500

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$54,000

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$48,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$51,200

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$55,900

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $6,500, about 12% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 15.7 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

California State University-Los Angeles is home to 19,562 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 62% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

19,562

Part-Time

18%

First-Generation

62%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 77.7% 15,190

Asian 9.8% 1,913

Black 4.3% 837

White 3.7% 732

Other 1.7% 338

International 1.0% 198

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at California State University-Los Angeles. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large City Los Angeles, California

Housing

Limited on-campus housing 2,483 beds

Adult Learners

23% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

California State University-Los Angeles offers an extensive catalog of programs: 100 distinct programs across 26 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

3 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

9 Programs

Health

Public Health $59K ($42K–$79K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Communication Disorders Sciences and $59K ($45K–$73K)

3 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)

4 Programs

Communication

Communication & Media $56K ($40K–$76K)
Radio, Television & Digital Media $50K ($34K–$70K)
Communication & Media $56K ($40K–$76K)

4 Programs

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
Information Systems $92K ($64K–$128K)
Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Los Angeles is 19:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty

19:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$8,750

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Endowment

$58M

Modest endowment

Avg Faculty Salary

$100,482

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

680 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	224	33%	$120,120
Associate Professors	134	20%	$108,723
Assistant Professors	177	26%	$94,795
Lecturers	145	21%	$69,469

Pros & Cons of California State University-Los Angeles

A quick at-a-glance summary of how California State University-Los Angeles tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body

CONS

Class sizes are on the higher side
Modest first-year retention

Best for: Based on the data, California State University-Los Angeles is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.

Frequently Asked Questions about California State University-Los Angeles

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about California State University-Los Angeles.

Is California State University-Los Angeles hard to get into?

California State University-Los Angeles has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 91.3%.

What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Los Angeles?

California State University-Los Angeles has an acceptance rate of 91.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

How much does California State University-Los Angeles cost?

The average net price after aid at California State University-Los Angeles is $3,967 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is California State University-Los Angeles worth it?

Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $59,211 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $3,967 per year. That's roughly 14.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is California State University-Los Angeles known for?

California State University-Los Angeles is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Psychology, Teacher Education (K-12). These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do California State University-Los Angeles graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering California State University-Los Angeles are $59,211, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is California State University-Los Angeles accredited?

Yes. California State University-Los Angeles is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

How many students attend California State University-Los Angeles?

California State University-Los Angeles enrolls 19,562 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at California State University-Los Angeles?

California State University-Los Angeles graduates 62% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is California State University-Los Angeles a public or private college?

California State University-Los Angeles is a Public institution.

Where is California State University-Los Angeles located?

California State University-Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California.

What programs does California State University-Los Angeles offer?

California State University-Los Angeles offers 100 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Psychology, Teacher Education (K-12).

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Los Angeles?

The student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Los Angeles is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.