California State University-Long Beach — ROI, Cost & Payback
California State University-Long Beach charges a net price of $10,440/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $41,760. Graduates earn a median $64,403 ten years after entry, $16,043/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 2.6 years — a 20-year net return of $279,100, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
California State University-Long Beach's 2.6-year payback ranks #127 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 90% of them, and #33 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,440/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $41,760 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $64,403 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $16,043/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,289 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 2.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $279,100 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on California State University-Long Beach's own numbers. Net price $10,440 × 4 years = $41,760 total. Median earnings $64,403 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $16,043 a year of premium. $41,760 ÷ $16,043 = 2.6 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $279,100. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do California State University-Long Beach students graduate with?
A median $14,289 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $64,403 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of California State University-Long Beach students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $41,760 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $60,522 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is California State University-Long Beach expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $10,440 net price runs $9,465 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $37,860 less across the full degree.