by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending California State University-Long Beach, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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Attendance costs at California State University-Long Beach varied between $20,310.00 ranging to $32,910.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
In-state residents qualified for the lower cost, with out-of-state students paying more: around $20,310.00 in-state compared with $32,910.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $7,350.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,960.00 |
| Total cost | $20,310.00 |
| That is 6% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $20,310.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,239.00 |
| Net price | $8,071.00 |
| That is 58% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $20,310.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$15,496.00 |
| Net price | $4,814.00 |
| That is 75% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $19,950.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,960.00 |
| Total cost | $32,910.00 |
| That is 71% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,910.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,239.00 |
| Net price | $20,671.00 |
| That is 7% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,910.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$15,496.00 |
| Net price | $17,414.00 |
| That is 10% below the national average net price. | |
| Want the line-by-line detail? Dig into tuition and fees plus living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing by around 2.2% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. These tables carry the cost across a degree for three cases: low-income w/ aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $4,918.00 | $8,246.00 | $20,749.00 |
| Senior year | $5,244.00 | $8,792.00 | $22,124.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $20,320.00 | $34,067.00 | $85,727.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,741.00 | $12,978.00 | $32,659.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $234.00 | $392.00 | $987.00 |
| Total amount paid | $28,061.00 | $47,046.00 | $118,386.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $4,918.00 | $8,246.00 | $20,749.00 |
| Senior year | $5,024.00 | $8,424.00 | $21,198.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $9,943.00 | $16,669.00 | $41,947.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $3,788.00 | $6,350.00 | $15,980.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $114.00 | $192.00 | $483.00 |
| Total amount paid | $13,730.00 | $23,020.00 | $57,927.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $17,791.00 | $21,118.00 | $33,622.00 |
| Senior year | $18,970.00 | $22,518.00 | $35,850.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $73,503.00 | $87,251.00 | $138,911.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $28,002.00 | $33,239.00 | $52,920.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $846.00 | $1,004.00 | $1,599.00 |
| Total amount paid | $101,506.00 | $120,491.00 | $191,831.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $17,791.00 | $21,118.00 | $33,622.00 |
| Senior year | $18,175.00 | $21,575.00 | $34,348.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $35,966.00 | $42,692.00 | $67,970.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $13,702.00 | $16,264.00 | $25,894.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $414.00 | $491.00 | $782.00 |
| Total amount paid | $49,667.00 | $58,957.00 | $93,864.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the net price section below.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most prospective students, net price gives a more realistic estimate than sticker tuition.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $10,440.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $8,931.00 |
What families actually pay shifts with income, since need-based grants are larger for lower-income students. The figures below give average net price by income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $5,477.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $6,191.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,063.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,787.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $18,575.00 |
Use California State University-Long Beach Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid breakdown.
The median graduating debt at California State University-Long Beach stands at $12,227.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $12,227.00 |
| 75th | $23,500.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
The gap between 10th and 90th percentile borrowers gives a sense of how uneven debt outcomes are.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Student debt at graduation is not evenly distributed across income levels. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,000.00 |
| Middle income | $11,000.00 |
| High income | $13,646.00 |
First-generation college students often carry different debt loads than their continuing-generation peers.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $11,961.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,597.00 |
The Pell Grant is the main federal need-based award for undergraduates. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at California State University-Long Beach amounts to $-894.00.
The default-rate category at California State University-Long Beach is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 4.3% |
To put the rates in context, Stafford loans at California State University-Long Beach amount to $1,417,494,592.00 spread across 75,427 student borrowers.
Veteran and active-military students often access dedicated federal aid programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD tuition assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 314 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $4,520.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 26 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,903.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through California State University-Long Beach, think through the questions below:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.