Long Beach Colleges: A Comprehensive Guide

Long Beach, California, a vibrant city within the Los Angeles metropolitan area and the 7th most populous in the state, boasts a diverse educational landscape. Its thriving economy, significantly influenced by the Port of Long Beach-the second busiest container port in the US-contributes to the city's dynamism. This port's impact on goods movement and environmental stewardship has even earned Long Beach the nickname "Aquatic Capital of America," a fitting title considering its approximately 22 miles of coastline. This article will delve into the higher education institutions that call Long Beach home, providing a detailed overview of their offerings and contributions to the community.

Higher Education Institutions in Long Beach

Long Beach offers a range of higher education options, catering to diverse academic and professional goals. Two primary institutions stand out: California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and Long Beach City College (LBCC).

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known as Long Beach State, LBSU, or The Beach, is a public research university located 3 miles (5 km) from the Pacific Ocean. As part of the 23-school California State University system (CSU), The Beach was founded in 1949 by California governor Earl Warren to serve the rapidly expanding post-World War II population of Orange and Southern Los Angeles counties. Initially named Los Angeles-Orange County State College, the institution has grown into a comprehensive university offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Campus and Facilities

The campus spans 323 acres (131 ha) across 84 buildings and is located at 1250 Bellflower Boulevard. The architecture of the campus is mainly of the International style (designed primarily by architect Edward Killingsworth). It is minimalist. It has earned design awards and awards from gardening societies. The integration of landscaping and architecture is apparent at the school's theater complex, where a dense grove of ficus trees is planted in such a way that it forms a continuation of the pillar-supported canopy at the theater's entrance.

Key facilities include:

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The University Student Union (USU) building: Located at the center of campus, it serves as a hub for student activities and services.
The Rec and Wellness Center: An extensive all-purpose athletic center covering about 125,000 square feet (11,600 m2) on North Campus, completed in 2010. It includes facilities for fitness programs and aerobics classes, courts for volleyball, basketball, badminton, rock climbing walls, an indoor track, a student lounge, and much more.
The Walter Pyramid: An iconic, eighteen-story sporting complex (formerly known as the Long Beach Pyramid) located on north campus, which can accommodate over 5,000 fans, including temporary seating and standing room. It hosts 49er basketball and volleyball games.
The University Art Museum (UAM): Featuring primarily abstract expressionist paintings, works on paper, and an outdoor sculpture garden that began in 1966. The UAM was the first accredited museum in the CSU system. The museum also houses the Gordon F.
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden: An artistic retreat of solitude and beauty.
The Desert Studies Center: A field station of the California State University located in Zzyzx, California in the Mojave Desert. The purpose of the center is to provide opportunities to conduct research, receive instruction and experience the Mojave Desert environment.

Academics and Programs

CSULB maintains the largest publicly funded art school west of the Mississippi on its campus. The university offers a wide array of programs across various colleges, including:

College of the Arts (COTA): Offers curricula that honor tradition, history, and the evolution of art and design forms while encouraging unique, singular voices, disruption of norms, and innovative creativity.
College of Education (CED): Offers specific curricula focusing on the preparation of personnel for teaching and educational service in the pre-school, elementary, middle and high schools, community colleges, adult programs, and other educational agencies.
College of Engineering (COE): Offers a broad range of disciplines and provides applied, hands-on learning that prepares students for working in the field and continuing academic work.
College of Health and Human Services (CHHS): Degrees provide a quality, hands-on education that prepares students for careers upon graduation. Most students complete field work and/or internships as part of their degree program.
College of Liberal Arts (CLA): With degrees ranging from humanities and foreign languages to social and behavioral sciences, CLA’s graduates are well-rounded citizens, effective communicators, and analytical thinkers who live knowledgeably, responsibly, and humanely.
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM): Seeks to educate and mentor the next diverse generation of scientists and mathematicians.

Student Life and Activities

CSULB offers a vibrant student life with numerous opportunities for involvement:

Student Organizations: Numerous clubs and organizations cater to diverse interests, including the Environmental Science & Policy Club (ES&P Club) and Grow Beach University Gardens.
Student Media: The campus has a rich tradition of student-run media, including the Long Beach Current (formerly the Daily Forty-Niner), 22 West Magazine, The Union Weekly, and DIG Magazine.
Radio Stations: The California State University Long Beach Foundation owns the KKJZ non-commercial broadcast license of 88.1 FM, a jazz and blues radio station. 22 West Radio is a free format, student run internet radio station at CSU, Long Beach. It is also an HD Radio station via 88.1 HD3 as of 2013.
Greek Life: Several national sororities and fraternities are present on campus.

Athletics

Long Beach State competes in NCAA Division I in 18 sports teams and plays competitively in baseball, cross country, softball, track and field, women's tennis, and women's soccer, as well as both men's and women's basketball, volleyball, water polo and golf teams. In the realm of sports the school is branded as "Long Beach State". The university's Division I intercollegiate athletics program remains "Beach Athletics".

Long Beach State is home to one of the top women's volleyball teams in the nation and has won three national titles in women's volleyball, in 1989, 1993 and 1998. The men’s volleyball has won four national championships in 1991, 2018, 2019 and 2025.

Rankings and Recognition

California State University, Long Beach is a public institution that was founded in 1949. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, California State University, Long Beach is ranked No. #127 in National Universities. It's also ranked No. #3 in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

Notable Alumni

CSULB boasts a distinguished alumni network across various fields, including:

Arts and Entertainment: Steven Spielberg, Karen and Richard Carpenter, Chris Carter, Linda Woolverton, J.F. Lawton, Mark Steven Johnson, David Twohy.
Sports: Misty May-Treanor, Jason Giambi, Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki, Harold Reynolds, Jered Weaver, Steve Trachsel, Jason Vargas, Matt Duffy, Jeff McNeil, Mark O'Meara, Craig Hodges, Terrell Davis, Billy Parks, Pat McCormick, Dwight Stones.

Enrollment and Admissions

With the highest application rate in the CSU system, Long Beach State enrolls a substantial number of students annually. The university enrolls around 35,843 undergraduate students and 5,346 graduate students as of fall 2024. The graduate programs include master's degrees, credentials, post-baccalaureate certificates, and doctoral programs.

California State University, Long Beach is amongst the most applied to campuses in the California State University system, receiving over 80,000 applicants with an average acceptance rate of 45%. In the Fall 2024 cohort, California State University, Long Beach saw over 83,000 applications from first-time freshmen, while more than 38,000 were granted admission. For masters and doctoral programs in the Fall 2023 cohort, the school received over 10,733 applications, while 3,270 applicants were granted admission.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The school's in-state tuition and fees are $8,312; out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,856. Seventy-nine percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $8,721.

Historical Overview

The college was established in 1949 by California governor Earl Warren, to serve the rapidly expanding post-World War II population of Orange and Southern Los Angeles counties. The institution was first named as Los Angeles-Orange County State College. Carl W. McIntosh was named the college's second president in 1959. While McIntosh was president, the school's enrollment surged from about 10,000 to over 30,000, and he rapidly expanded and revamped the curriculum. McIntosh tripled the number of faculty and constructed 30 new campus buildings. Although the 1960s were a period of deep unrest on American college campuses, McIntosh's collegial governing style, gentle public demeanor, and willingness to permit peaceful protest on campus helped preserve Long Beach State College relatively serene social climate. In 1964, the school changed its name to California State College at Long Beach. In 1967, the California state legislature revamped the state college system. In 1965, CSULB hosted the first International Sculpture Symposium to be held both at a higher education institution and in the United States. Six international and two American sculptors many of the on-campus installations. McIntosh departed for Montana State University in 1969, and was succeeded by President Steve Horn. The California State University Board of Trustees elevated the school to university status in 1972, along with 12 other state college campuses, based on total enrollment, size of graduate programs, complexity and diversity of majors and number of doctorates held by faculty at each college. In 1995, President Robert Maxson initiated the privately funded President's Scholars Program, providing selected qualified California high school valedictorians and National Merit finalists and semi-finalists with a full four-year scholarship package, including tuition, a book stipend, and housing. In August 2020, CSULB unveiled its new shark mascot, Elbee, following a 2019 student-led process that selected the shark as Beach's new mascot.

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Long Beach City College (LBCC)

Located in Lakewood Village, Long Beach City College (LBCC) is the other higher education institution in the city. It is a public community college that was founded in 1927 and serves more than 30,000 students each year on its two campuses, the second on Santa Catalina Island.

LBCC offers a wide variety of degree and vocational programs, including a nationally ranked nursing program and a large English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

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