California State University-Los Angeles

Public · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: Larry Sharkey, Los Angeles Times (CC BY 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationCA · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads19,562

Student:faculty21:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate25.4%

6-yr grad rate53%

Drop-out rate28.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$7k

Out-of-state tuition$20k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity96.3%

Gender diversity55.7%

International1%

Identity—

Overview

Cal State LA serves the east side of Los Angeles from a hillside campus in El Sereno with sweeping views of the downtown skyline, and it has built a national reputation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with one of the strongest economic-mobility records of any American university, moving large numbers of first-generation students into stable, well-paying careers. It functions primarily as a commuter campus, drawing students from across the LA metro area rather than a residential student body.

Academics

Nursing, criminal justice, engineering, and business form the practical core of the catalog, and the university's Criminalistics program — one of relatively few undergraduate forensic-science degrees in the country — gives it a specific niche within criminal justice beyond standard coursework. Programs generally emphasize direct career preparation over theoretical or research-heavy tracks, with advising and scheduling built around students juggling jobs and family alongside classes.

Campus & student life

As a commuter-heavy campus, student life centers less on residential traditions and more on flexible scheduling, commuter services, and support programs for working students, though Golden Eagles athletics, clubs, and student organizations give those who want a fuller on-campus experience real options. The hillside setting itself is a quiet point of pride — the skyline views from central campus are genuinely striking for an urban commuter school.

Getting in

Admission is accessible and formula-driven, based mainly on GPA and completed coursework rather than an elaborate essay-and-interview process, consistent with its mission of broad access for first-generation and working students across the LA region. Local applicants from surrounding LA-area high schools and community colleges make up a large share of each incoming class, and transfer admission — particularly from nearby community colleges — is a well-worn, straightforward path into the university.

After graduation

Cal State LA has one of the strongest documented track records among American universities for moving first-generation and lower-income students into middle-class careers, particularly in nursing, business, criminal justice, and public-sector fields tied directly to the LA region's job market.

Worth knowing

Its economic-mobility reputation is genuinely notable and frequently cited in higher-education research on college value — a meaningful signal for students prioritizing return on investment over traditional prestige markers, and the Criminalistics program is a specific draw for students set on forensic science.

calstatela.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate91.2%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionNov 30

Applying