California State University-Monterey Bay

Public · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: DirectorG at en.wikipedia (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationCA · West

SettingSuburban

Undergrads6,819

Student:faculty24:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate39.2%

6-yr grad rate59.1%

Drop-out rate20.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$20k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity73.8%

Gender diversity59.5%

International1.3%

Identity—

Overview

Built on the former Fort Ord army base along California's central coast, Cal State Monterey Bay is one of the youngest campuses in the Cal State system, shaped by its coastal setting and a founding mission emphasizing social justice and service.

Academics

Marine and coastal science benefit from proximity to Monterey Bay's research cluster, and the university requires community service-learning as part of its curriculum rather than treating it as an optional add-on. Class sizes tend to run smaller than at many Cal State campuses.

Campus & student life

The former military base setting gives the campus a spread-out, low-density feel, with dunes, fog, and easy access to beaches shaping daily life. Housing and student culture orient around the outdoors and the broader Monterey-Salinas corridor.

Getting in

Admissions follows the standard Cal State process, and the university's comparatively young identity means fewer inherited traditions and a stronger emphasis on the coastal and service-learning mission in how it presents itself to applicants.

After graduation

Graduates in marine and environmental science often move into regional research institutions and conservation organizations, while others move into agriculture-adjacent industries in the Salinas Valley or into teaching and health fields.

csumb.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate97.4%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionNov 30

Applying