Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #66 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $22,246 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-East Bay in the 97.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #64 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- California State University-East Bay's composite ranking reflects a consistent pattern of delivering earnings beyond expectations for students who enter from a wide range of economic backgrounds, anchored by a dominant Business program and strong mobility outcomes in the Bay Area labor market. The university's standing in the 95.6 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions underscores how California State University-East Bay converts broad access into durable post-graduation results.
Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #66 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Hayward, CA, California State University-East Bay enrolls roughly 9,809 undergraduates. Retention stands at 75.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 47.9%. What anchors California State University-East Bay in the composite is mobility. The university sits in the 95.6 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting strong outcomes for a student body where 44.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 50.9% are first-generation college students. Access reinforces that story — California State University-East Bay sits in the 79.2 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an admission rate of 97.4% signaling a broad-access posture that brings a wide range of students through the door. Affordability sits in the 94.6 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, consistent with the university's public-tuition structure. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite — Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #165 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 88.9 percentile. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $72,596, and graduates earn about $22,246 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-East Bay in the 97.0 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings figures reflect CA's regional labor market and a student population whose post-graduation outcomes represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree-equivalent baseline of $34,672, even where they fall below selective-peer averages. Business is the dominant program family, and specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes — Azimuth ranks Nursing #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for return on investment, at 1.70× the national CIP-level benchmark.
California State University-East Bay prices its degrees across a wide range of family income levels, and the income-band net prices tell a clear story. Low-income families pay approximately $6,360 per year after aid, middle-income families see annual costs around $8,990, and higher-income families pay closer to $19,397. Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #78 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That standing reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its participation in California's robust state and federal financial aid ecosystem, which together keep net prices meaningfully below the published cost of attendance for most students. Need-based aid plays a central role in how Cal State East Bay students experience pricing. As a CSU campus serving a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, the university draws on Cal Grant funding alongside federal Pell Grants and institutional aid to reduce out-of-pocket costs. The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay can be substantial — particularly for lower-income households — and the net price illusion is worth understanding before drawing conclusions from the published cost of attendance alone. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,544, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,738; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $72,596, median federal debt of $16,544 projects to a monthly payment of about $187 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
California State University-East Bay is a strong fit for students in the CA Bay Area who want a career-oriented public university with a dominant focus in Business and related applied fields — particularly those who plan to build careers in the regional economy after graduation. Graduates earn about $22,246 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-East Bay in the 97.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $72,596, placing California State University-East Bay in the 73.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. California State University-East Bay enrolls a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 44.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 50.9% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that place it in the 85.0 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. The admission rate is 97.4%, making California State University-East Bay broadly accessible to most qualified applicants. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and professional fields, so students whose interests align with applied, career-ready disciplines will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking deep research or highly specialized STEM tracks may find a better match elsewhere.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the California State University-East Bay hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
171 graduates
Computer Science
193 graduates
Construction Management
43 graduates
Industrial Engineering
14 graduates
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
16 graduates
California State University-East Bay's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 23% of degree output — the largest concentration by family. Social Sciences follows at 7%, and Arts at 4%, giving the university a applied-professional orientation typical of comprehensive CSU campuses.
The largest program by graduates is Business Administration (800 graduates), followed by Psychology, General (460 graduates) and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (311 graduates). Across Criminal Justice (238 graduates) and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (228 graduates), the university serves roughly 3,866 students annually across 36 programs, with 25 meeting Azimuth's ranking threshold.
The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in health and business fields. Azimuth ranks Nursing #3 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $150,921.
Azimuth ranks Computer Science #50 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 193 graduates earning $119,900. Business Administration adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking it #33 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning $77,567.
Business Administration combines strong enrollment scale with solid pay, making it a key driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes. Several of these high-earning programs — particularly nursing and health fields — feed directly into California's high-demand healthcare labor market, where employer recruitment is steady and starting salaries reflect regional workforce shortages.
Business-oriented programs like Biology, General (graduates earning $74,010) and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (graduates earning $68,231) represent high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national and regional wage trends, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates programs across cohort size, earnings, and benchmarks. ```
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cuny Brooklyn College Similar quality tier (#3652 ranked) | NY | 58% | $60,752 | #3652 | Compare |
University Of California-Santa Barbara Similar quality tier in West (#4169 ranked) | CA | 33% | $74,915 | #4169 | Compare |
Rutgers University-Newark Similar quality tier (#3138 ranked) | NJ | 71% | $74,479 | #3138 | Compare |
California State University-San Marcos Similar quality tier in West (#3136 ranked) | CA | 95% | $62,908 | #3136 | Compare |
Cuny New York City College Of Technology Similar quality tier (#4174 ranked) | NY | 80% | $49,365 | #4174 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
California State University-East Bay prices its degrees across a wide range of family income levels, and the income-band net prices tell a clear story. Low-income families pay approximately $6,360 per year after aid, middle-income families see annual costs around $8,990, and higher-income families pay closer to $19,397.
Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #78 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That standing reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its participation in California's robust state and federal financial aid ecosystem, which together keep net prices meaningfully below the published cost of attendance for most students.
Need-based aid plays a central role in how Cal State East Bay students experience pricing. As a CSU campus serving a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, the university draws on Cal Grant funding alongside federal Pell Grants and institutional aid to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay can be substantial — particularly for lower-income households — and the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is worth understanding before drawing conclusions from the published cost of attendance alone. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,544, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,738; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $72,596, median federal debt of $16,544 projects to a monthly payment of about $187 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of California State University-East Bay earn median earnings of $72,596 four years after enrollment, sitting below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $22,246 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-East Bay in the 97.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to CA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,672, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. Azimuth ranks California State University-East Bay #165 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
While institution-level earnings track CA's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Nursing #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning median earnings of $150,921 — 1.70x the national benchmark for the field.
Computer Science also stands out, with Azimuth ranking it #50 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $119,900. Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 23% of degrees, followed by Social Sciences at 7% and Arts at 4%.
Among the largest programs, Business Administration program graduates 800 students annually with median earnings of $77,567 four years after enrollment, while The Psychology, General program graduates 460 students earning $54,436.
