Who We Are
Founded in 1949, California State University, Long Beach is ranked as one of the top institutions in the country and No. 3 among national universities for promoting social mobility.
Cal State Long Beach sits on a 322-acre campus and enrolls more than 41,000 students annually — among the highest in the 23-campus California State University, the largest system of higher education in the United States. It is the fifth most-applied-to university in the country.
For 75 years, Cal State Long Beach has championed personal transformation and professional triumph. The university offers more than 190 academic programs — bachelor’s and master’s degrees, professional certifications and four doctoral degrees — across eight colleges: the College of the Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Services, Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Professional and Continuing Education.
The university also sponsors 19 intercollegiate athletic teams and has won nine Division 1 national titles.
In 2022, CSULB was elevated to “Doctoral University: High Research Activity” status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in recognition of the university’s evolution from a master’s-level comprehensive institution to one that awards doctorates.
Other accolades include:
- Among “The Best Colleges in America” with five out of five stars (Money.com, 2024)
- Among the top 50 national universities (Washington Monthly, 2024)
- The second most-applied-to university in the California State University system (2024)
Beach alumni, more than 400,000 strong, are an economic powerhouse for the state of California and the nation. Alumni’s impact in the state is $8.23 billion, while the university’s economic impact on California is $1.88 billion.
Cal State Long Beach sits on the traditional land of the Gabrielino/Tongva/Kizh and Acjachemen/Juaneño. A multi-acre site on the west side of campus is thought by many to be the only undeveloped remnant of Puvungna, once a large and thriving community that still holds significance for several tribal groups. A restrictive covenant was established in fall 2021 to protect Puvungna in perpetuity.
Long Beach State is one of only a handful of universities designated by the federal government as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The university has also been awarded the Seal of Excelencia certification for its commitment to addressing educational inequities and to removing barriers to degree completion.
