California State University, Long Beach
Academics

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How strong are the academics at California State University, Long Beach?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

26:1
Student to faculty ratio
32
Average class size
38%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Cal State Long Beach has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 26:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
243
10-19
861
20-29
1,789
30-39
1,394
40-49
461
50-99
187
100+
222

Honors Programs

California State University, Long Beach has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Cal State Long Beach's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at California State University, Long Beach:

87%
First-year retention rate
38%
4-year grad rate
69%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are California State University, Long Beach's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Computer Science
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
139.8
371.64
603.48
835.32
1067.16
1299

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Deaf Studies 25
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 19
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 17
  • Women's Studies 13
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 11
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 4
  • Women's Studies 2
  • Asian-American Studies 2
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 2
  • African-American/Black Studies 2
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • Italian Studies 0
  • European Studies/Civilization 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 333
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 68
  • Biochemistry 53
  • Microbiology, General 26
  • Biochemistry 1
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 1299
  • Business Administration and Management, General 100
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 56
  • Business/Managerial Economics 44
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 351
  • Journalism 73
  • Public Relations/Image Management 60
  • Journalism 2
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
  • Radio and Television 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 335
Education
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 32
  • Art Teacher Education 17
  • Trade and Industrial Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 247
  • Civil Engineering, General 132
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 122
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 119
  • Computer Engineering, General 54
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 53
  • Chemical Engineering 42
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 1
  • Engineering, General 0
  • Manufacturing Engineering 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 64
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 6
  • Computer Engineering Technology/Technician 2
  • Computer Engineering Technology/Technician 1
  • Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician 0
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 0
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 0
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 263
  • English Language and Literature, General 7
  • Rhetoric and Composition 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 195
  • Child Development 105
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 99
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 79
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 11
  • Child Development 4
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 1
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 38
  • Linguistics 15
  • Language Interpretation and Translation 10
  • Japanese Language and Literature 8
  • Comparative Literature 5
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 3
  • Spanish Language and Literature 3
  • French Language and Literature 3
  • Comparative Literature 2
  • German Language and Literature 2
  • German Language and Literature 2
  • French Language and Literature 2
  • Language Interpretation and Translation 1
  • Japanese Language and Literature 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 217
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 217
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 217
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 174
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 150
  • Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 61
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 8
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 8
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 8
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 0
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 0
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 0
History
  • History, General 127
  • History, General 2
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 328
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 293
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 71
  • Statistics, General 17
  • Mathematics, General 2
  • Statistics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nutrition Sciences 67
  • International/Globalization Studies 21
  • International/Globalization Studies 1
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 53
Parks
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 250
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 40
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 23
  • Religion/Religious Studies 4
  • Philosophy 3
  • Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 32
  • Physics, General 21
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 18
  • Physics, General 11
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 688
  • Psychology, General 1
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 60
Social Sciences
  • Sociology, General 312
  • Political Science and Government, General 173
  • Economics, General 52
  • Anthropology, General 48
  • Geography 37
  • Sociology, General 3
  • Anthropology, General 2
  • Economics, General 2
  • International Relations and Affairs 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 230
  • Art/Art Studies, General 217
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 200
  • Music Performance, General 86
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 76
  • Design and Applied Arts, Other 39
  • Dance, General 36
  • Interior Design 31
  • Industrial and Product Design 29
  • Music Performance, General 15
  • Music, General 6
  • Music, General 1
  • Art/Art Studies, General 1
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