A Cal State University Education Offers Superior Value

The California State University (CSU) system’s 4,000+ degree programs offer some of the best value in proportion to expense that a college student can receive.

A 2023 HEA Group analysis showed that CSU graduates are statistically likely to meet or exceed the earnings thresholds achieved by graduates of other, more expensive universities. For example, median earnings of computer engineering alumni from San José State University and those from eight University of California (UC) schools four years post-graduation were almost identical. In some cases, the San José State grads earned significantly more than those with UC degrees. Recent CSU graduates from Fullerton, San Francisco, Sacramento, and other campuses also achieved competitive salaries in the field.

Even in a state with a notably high overall cost of living, CSU fees are still among the lowest in the nation. Thanks to its dedication to equity and the long-term financial wellbeing of its graduates, over 80 percent of the system’s undergraduates receive financial aid. More than 50 percent of CSU graduates complete their programs with no student loan debt whatsoever.

Boosting graduation rates and economic power

The 23 CSU universities and the more than 450,000 students they enrolled in 2023 collectively comprise the largest public institution of higher education in the country. And thanks to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025, the system has almost doubled its four-year graduation rate. In combination with increases in enrollment, this initiative has resulted in 150,000 more undergraduate degrees earned.

Another result of the initiative is that CSU students on average graduate one semester earlier than students at peer institutions. This translates into an additional $50,000+ in anticipated lifetime earnings for each student, or a collective additional $4.5 billion for each graduating class.

These are prestigious degrees, well-respected across the country for the quality of the education behind them. Among other nationally recognized rankings, CSU schools figure prominently among Money Magazine’s 2023 rankings of the “Best Public Colleges in America” in terms of the educational value they deliver to in-state students.

Flexible, practical, diverse

California’s CSU and UC systems are often compared. Nine of 10 UC campuses also enroll undergraduates, but there are some salient differences between the two public university systems.

While all of the UC campuses are clustered either in the San Francisco Bay-Sacramento or Greater Los Angeles Areas, CSU schools crisscross the state, with some near major urban centers, but others based in rural or semi-rural communities.

Cal Poly Humboldt, for example, serves Californians along the Pacific Coast to the far north of the state. And the Chico State campus in the northern Sacramento Valley has earned renown as one of the best “green colleges” from the Princeton Review for the walkability of the campus in its proximity to a highly walkable small town.

UCs are built around the needs of students who live on campus and seek a “traditional” college experience, whereas CSU students are more likely to live off campus and commute to school. Like the UCs, CSU universities offer robust course menus. But unlike a UC, a CSU school is especially strong on technical and vocational programs.

UC schools’ acceptance rates are significantly lower — for example, only 14 percent of applicants to UCLA were accepted for the 2020–21 academic year. In contrast, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, is also renowned as a research leader, but its acceptance rate was 65 percent that same year.

The cost of tuition and living expenses also differ among the CSU and UC systems. For in-state students, UCs charge around $13,000 per year for tuition, while the CSU tuition is about $5,700. The cost of living in cities with UC campuses tends to be higher as well, so UC students tend to pay more in room and board.

The point here is not that one system is “better” than the other. Both systems work together to provide quality higher education to Californians, but the CSU system is more accessible to more undergraduate students.

Delivering educational quality

The CSU system’s quality of education also compares favorably with that at the UCs, particularly in terms of real-world, “learn by doing” opportunities for undergraduates.

For instance, Cal Poly Pomona ranks across numerous lists as one of the leading polytechnics in the country, with strong programs in engineering, hospitality management, architecture, and business backed by an experiential approach to education.

Meanwhile, Cal Poly SLO at San Luis Obispo offers a parallel experience, rich in opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students alike to engage in research. In 2024, the SLO campus earned a №1 ranking from U.S. News & World Report in the “Regional Universities West” category.

And at CSU Fullerton, located in a suburban Los Angeles community noted for its high density of educational institutions, undergrads can participate in one of the most innovative real-world investment experiences in the country through the Titan Capital Management program.

Promoting socioeconomic equality

In summary, the CSU system is a highly affordable, yet sometimes-overlooked resource for students seeking a great education at a great value and the upward economic mobility associated with a college degree. By pairing robust financial aid packages with comparatively low tuition, CSUs continue to maintain their historic commitment to keeping a college education within the financial reach of every California student.

In the CollegeNET 2022 Social Mobility Index, eight CSU schools ranked among the top 20 in terms of their capacity to offer opportunities for economically marginalized students to secure well-paying positions post-graduation.

The economic mobility opportunities that CSUs afford to their students also redound to their families, helping to lift the standard of living for parents, siblings, and grandparents. Many CSU graduates are, in fact, the first in their families to earn a college degree, and most stay in California after graduation. The qualities that this experience brings to the state’s 21st century workplace is already proving transformative.