Cal State University, Long Beach: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Walter Pyramid at Cal State University, Long Beach
Walter Pyramid at Cal State University, Long Beach.

Maureen Sullivan / Getty Images 

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is a public university with an acceptance rate of 39%. Established in 1949, Cal State Long Beach is the third largest university by enrollment in the California State University system. The most popular undergraduate majors at CSULB are engineering and health and human services.

Considering applying to Cal State Long Beach? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Why CSU Long Beach?

  • Location: Long Beach, California
  • Campus Highlights: CSU Long Beach's 322-acre campus sits just a few miles from sand beaches and the Pacific Ocean. CSULB's athletic facilities include the iconic Walter Pyramid.
  • Student/Faculty Ratio: 23:1
  • Athletics: The Long Beach State 49ers compete in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference.
  • Highlights: Students at "The Beach" can choose from over 150 academic programs.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Cal State Long Beach had an acceptance rate of 39%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 39 students were admitted, making CSULB's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 71,297
Percent Admitted 39%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 18%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Cal State Long Beach requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 95% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 520 620
Math 520 630
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal State Long Beach's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Cal State Long Beach scored between 520 and 620, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 520 and 630, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 630. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1250 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Cal State Long Beach.

Requirements

Cal State Long Beach does not require the SAT writing section. Note that CSULB will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark, it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Cal State Long Beach requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 27% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 19 26
Math 19 26
Composite 20 26

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal State Long Beach's admitted students fall within the top 49% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to CSULB received a composite ACT score between 20 and 26 while 25% scored above 26 and 25% scored below 20.

Requirements

Cal State Long Beach does not require the ACT writing section. Note that CSULB does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA for incoming Cal State Long Beach freshman was 3.89. These results suggest that most successful applicants to CSULB have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

California State University, Long Beach Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
California State University, Long Beach Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to California State University, Long Beach. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Cal State Long Beach, which accepts fewer than half of applicants, has a competitive admissions process. What makes the difference between an acceptance and a rejection? Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application.

Admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. To be admitted, you must have completed and achieved a "C" grade or higher in required college preparatory courses which include two years of history and social science, four years of college prep English, three years of math, two years of laboratory science, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of a college preparatory elective. Additionally, a separate STEM eligibility index is calculated for admission to science, technology, engineering, and math majors. Applicants should be aware that California State University, Long Beach is designated as impacted because it receives more applications than can be accommodated.

In the scattergram above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. The majority of students accepted to California State University, Long Beach had GPAs of 3.0 or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, and ACT scores of 18 or higher. Chances of acceptance are best for students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and a combined SAT score of 1100 or above. In the middle of the graph, note that there is some red (rejected students) hidden behind the blue and green. Some students with grades and test scores on target for CSULB still get rejected.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and California State University, Long Beach Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Cal State University, Long Beach: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/csulb-admissions-787154. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 28). Cal State University, Long Beach: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/csulb-admissions-787154 Grove, Allen. "Cal State University, Long Beach: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/csulb-admissions-787154 (accessed March 28, 2024).