Long Beach City College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Long Beach, California. It enrolls 22,427 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.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
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 (2-Year). 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
71/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes42
Value78
Affordability64
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Long Beach City College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Long Beach City College 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 $6,202 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,202
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
37%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
2%
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)
$1,556
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,544
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,503
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
$5,505
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,412
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,180
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,042
Over $110,000
$10,089
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,40025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$9,00075%percentile
$14,12690%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 $7,250
↓ $3,250
No Pell $6,000
↓ $4,500
Dependent students $5,000
↓ $5,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,000
Female students $7,000
↓ $3,500
Male students $7,000
↓ $3,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,000, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
2% of full-time students who enrolled at Long Beach City College graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
2%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Long Beach City College earn a median of $38,870 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,870
Earning > $25K
61%
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
$30,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,500, about 20% 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 ↑
19.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 58% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Long Beach City College is home to 22,427 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 56% are first-generation college students, 59% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
22,427
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
56%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 60.5%13,557
White 12.0%2,696
Black 11.9%2,660
Asian 8.4%1,877
Other 6.1%1,357
International 0.4%87
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Long Beach City College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityLong Beach, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
37%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Long Beach City College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
94 distinct programs across
30 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 Long Beach City College is 28:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
28:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,729
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$71,392
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
346 instructional faculty across 1 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
Instructors
346
100%
$71,392
Pros & Cons of Long Beach City College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Long Beach City College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Long Beach City College 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Long Beach City College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Long Beach City College.
Is Long Beach City College hard to get into?
Long Beach City College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Long Beach City College?
Long Beach City College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Long Beach City College cost?
The average net price after aid at Long Beach City College is $6,202 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Long Beach City College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,870 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,202 per year. That's roughly 6.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Long Beach City College known for?
Long Beach City College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Long Beach City College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Long Beach City College are $38,870, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Long Beach City College accredited?
Yes. Long Beach City College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Long Beach City College?
Long Beach City College enrolls 22,427 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Long Beach City College?
Long Beach City College graduates 2% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Long Beach City College a public or private college?
Long Beach City College is a Public institution.
Where is Long Beach City College located?
Long Beach City College is located in Long Beach, California.
What programs does Long Beach City College offer?
Long Beach City College offers 94 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Long Beach City College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Long Beach City College is 28:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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