California State University-Monterey Bay is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Seaside, California. It enrolls 6,819 students (a 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.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarSemester
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
74/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes58
Value87
Affordability77
Selectivity5
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 97.4%, California State University-Monterey Bay is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
97.4%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants 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-Monterey Bay is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
19.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending California State University-Monterey Bay 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 $13,663 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$13,663
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
43%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
28%
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)
$7,779
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$20,379
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,234
Room & Board (off-campus)
$21,618
Books & Supplies
$899
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,185
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,245
Total Cost of Attendance
$26,987
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
$9,970
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,981
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,440
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,281
Over $110,000
$22,818
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.
$3,50010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$12,750Medianpercentile
$18,00075%percentile
$25,00090%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
↓ $1,750
No Pell $10,000
↓ $2,750
Dependent students $11,000
↓ $1,750
Independent students $11,000
↓ $1,750
Female students $11,000
↓ $1,750
Male students $11,000
↓ $1,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,250, less than completers ($12,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
65% of full-time students who enrolled at California State University-Monterey Bay graduate within six years, and 80% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
65%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
80%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered California State University-Monterey Bay earn a median of $59,247 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$59,247
Earning > $25K
80%
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
$44,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$50,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$47,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$46,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,600, about 13% 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 ↑
14.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
California State University-Monterey Bay is home to 6,819 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 52% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
6,819
Part-Time
11%
First-Generation
52%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 55.9%3,810
White 26.2%1,786
Other 6.2%419
Asian 6.0%410
Black 2.2%153
International 1.3%89
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at California State University-Monterey Bay. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize SuburbSeaside, California
Housing
Mostly residential3,376 beds on campus
Adult Learners
18%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
California State University-Monterey Bay offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
19 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Monterey Bay is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,382
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$35M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$99,164
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
228 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
68
30%
$123,341
Associate Professors
66
29%
$103,830
Assistant Professors
45
20%
$90,073
Lecturers
49
21%
$67,676
Pros & Cons of California State University-Monterey Bay
A quick at-a-glance summary of how California State University-Monterey Bay tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
No clear weaknesses in the data.
Best for:
Based on the data, California State University-Monterey Bay is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about California State University-Monterey Bay
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about California State University-Monterey Bay.
Is California State University-Monterey Bay hard to get into?
California State University-Monterey Bay has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 97.4%.
What is the acceptance rate at California State University-Monterey Bay?
California State University-Monterey Bay has an acceptance rate of 97.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does California State University-Monterey Bay cost?
The average net price after aid at California State University-Monterey Bay is $13,663 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-Monterey Bay worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $59,247 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $13,663 per year. That's roughly 4.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is California State University-Monterey Bay known for?
California State University-Monterey Bay is best known for its programs in Psychology, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do California State University-Monterey Bay graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering California State University-Monterey Bay are $59,247, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is California State University-Monterey Bay accredited?
Yes. California State University-Monterey Bay is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend California State University-Monterey Bay?
California State University-Monterey Bay enrolls 6,819 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-Monterey Bay?
California State University-Monterey Bay graduates 65% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is California State University-Monterey Bay a public or private college?
California State University-Monterey Bay is a Public institution.
Where is California State University-Monterey Bay located?
California State University-Monterey Bay is located in Seaside, California.
What programs does California State University-Monterey Bay offer?
California State University-Monterey Bay offers 32 distinct programs. The most popular include Psychology, Liberal Arts, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Monterey Bay?
The student-to-faculty ratio at California State University-Monterey Bay is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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