Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks California State University-Los Angeles #3 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,440 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-Los Angeles in the 92.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California State University-Los Angeles #7 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Students at California State University-Los Angeles earn more than similar students at comparable institutions, a result that reflects the university's strength in business, health, and applied fields serving one of the country's largest urban economies. Median earnings four years after enrollment are $59,756, and the institution's mobility and access rankings together confirm that Cal State LA opens its doors widely while still delivering on graduate outcomes.
Azimuth ranks California State University-Los Angeles #3 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Los Angeles, CA, California State University-Los Angeles enrolls roughly 19,562 undergraduates. Retention stands at 71.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 53.0%, figures that reflect the realities of a broad-access commuter campus serving a predominantly working-class student population in one of the country's largest metro areas. What anchors California State University-Los Angeles in the composite is mobility. Azimuth ranks the university in the 99.6 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, driven by strong outcomes for a student body where 66.3% receive Pell Grants and 61.5% are first-generation college students. Graduates earn about $15,440 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-Los Angeles in the 92.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program family is Business, and the university's program mix channels graduates into career pathways across business, health, and education fields that align with regional labor demand. Access sits in the 97.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the university's open-access mission — California State University-Los Angeles admits 91.2% of applicants. Affordability sits in the 98.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and return on investment sits in the 59.2 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, where median earnings four years after enrollment of $59,756 sit below the $65,228 median at comparable 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.
California State University-Los Angeles prices its degrees accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $2,877 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $5,002, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at around $13,578. Azimuth ranks California State University-Los Angeles #22 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That positioning reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its broad commitment to need-based aid delivery. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Cal State LA's aid structure draws on federal, state, and institutional sources. The university offers work-study as part of its standard aid package, per the financial aid page, and administers the Dream Act Service Incentive Grant for eligible students — a named institutional program that extends aid access to a broader range of families. These programs help close the gap between the published cost of attendance of $18,403 and what students actually pay, though the depth of that gap varies by household income and documented need. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application depending on eligibility. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,526; 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 $59,756, median federal debt of $13,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $147 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
California State University-Los Angeles is a strong fit for students drawn to business, applied sciences, and professional fields who want an urban public university experience in Los Angeles, CA, with a program mix oriented toward practical career outcomes. Graduates earn about $15,440 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing California State University-Los Angeles in the 92.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates also earn median 4-year earnings of $59,756, placing California State University-Los Angeles in the 45.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 66.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 61.5% are first-generation students — among the highest concentrations in the Azimuth coverage set — and California State University-Los Angeles sits in the 71.3 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, indicating that students from lower-income backgrounds convert enrollment into meaningful long-run earnings. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio centers on Business and related applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and the institution's open-access admissions model — with an admission rate of 91.2% — means the primary constraint is program fit and completion, not application selectivity.
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-Los Angeles hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
California State University-Los Angeles prices its degrees accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $2,877 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $5,002, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at around $13,578.
Azimuth ranks California State University-Los Angeles #22 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That positioning reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its broad commitment to need-based aid delivery.
Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Cal State LA's aid structure draws on federal, state, and institutional sources.
The university offers work-study as part of its standard aid package, per the [financial aid page](https://www.calstatela.edu/financialaid), and administers the Dream Act Service Incentive Grant for eligible students — a named institutional program that extends aid access to a broader range of families. These programs help close the gap between the published cost of attendance of $18,403 and what students actually pay, though the depth of that gap varies by household income and documented need.
Families applying for aid use the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application depending on eligibility. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $13,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,526; 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 $59,756, median federal debt of $13,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $147 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-Los Angeles earn median earnings of $59,756 four years after enrollment, placing California State University-Los Angeles in the 45.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn about $15,440 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 92.8 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.
Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 14% of degrees, followed by Social Sciences at 10% and Education at 8%. Business Administration combines strong enrollment with solid earnings, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall return profile.
Azimuth ranks Business Administration #145 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 726 graduates earning median earnings of $62,716 — 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. Azimuth ranks Teacher Education #33 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 391 graduates earning median earnings of $50,444.
Azimuth ranks Sociology #72 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $50,249, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #67 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 348 graduates earning median earnings of $54,695.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Similar quality tier in West (#10 ranked) | CA | 75% | $71,902 | #10 | Compare |
University Of Illinois Chicago Similar quality tier (#11 ranked) | IL | 77% | $68,740 | #11 | Compare |
California State University-Long Beach Similar quality tier in West (#12 ranked) | CA | 46% | $64,403 | #12 | Compare |
University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor Similar quality tier (#8 ranked) | MI | 16% | $83,648 | #8 | Compare |
California State University-Fullerton Similar quality tier in West (#13 ranked) | CA | 91% | $62,951 | #13 | Compare |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
158 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
52 graduates
Civil Engineering
73 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
130 graduates
Computer Science
149 graduates
California State University-Los Angeles's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 14% of graduates — the largest concentration by field. Social Sciences follows at 10%, and Education at 8%, rounding out a portfolio oriented toward applied professional fields.
The largest program by cohort is Business Administration with 726 graduates, followed by Teacher Education (391 graduates) and Sociology (350 graduates). Criminal Justice (348 graduates) and Psychology, General also enroll substantial cohorts, reflecting the university's breadth across business, social-service, and health-adjacent disciplines.
The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in business and quantitative fields. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #145 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $62,716.
Azimuth ranks Social Work #11 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $59,545. Public Health also delivers strong early-career pay at $56,466, and Azimuth ranks the program #49 among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Criminal Justice ($54,695) and Teacher Education ($50,444) round out the highest-earning programs, each serving cohorts of 348 and 391 graduates respectively. Several of the university's largest programs — particularly Teacher Education and Sociology — feed into local-labor and social-service career pathways where four-year earnings reflect regional hiring markets rather than national mobility patterns.
The business-side programs, by contrast, channel graduates into finance, accounting, and management roles with broader geographic reach. The College of Business and Economics lists research concentrations in areas such as Finance, Law and Real Estate, and offers an undergraduate certificate in Finance — infrastructure that supports applied learning in the institution's dominant field.
The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national labor-market demand.
