California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) vs. Grand Canyon University (GCU) Overview
You’re wrestling with a tough question: “Should I go to Cal State Long Beach or Grand Canyon University (GCU)?“
California State University-Long Beach (CSULB)
Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Can you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesCan you get in?
Calculate Your ChancesThis complete guide analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative differences between California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) and Grand Canyon University (GCU). This comparison is particularly valuable at understanding the cultural nuances between the colleges since it uses student videos to capture the “vibes” of campus - these videos are exclusively available on CampusReel :)
Differences between California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) and Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s go through a general overview of the high-level differences between California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) and Grand Canyon University (GCU). The table below summarizes some of the most important statistics around competitiveness, costs, etc.
| California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) | Grand Canyon University (GCU) | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state Tuition | $6,452 | $17,050 |
| Net Price | $9,163 | $28,469 |
| Average Financial Aid | $5,507 | $8,248 |
| Total Undergraduates | 32025 | 42444 |
| Average SAT Scores | 930 - 1170 | 0 - 0 |
| Acceptance Rate | 34 | 43 |
| Location | 1250 Bellflower Blvd | 3300 W Camelback Rd |
| City Name | Long Beach | Phoenix |
WARNINGS: Based on net price alone, California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) is the cheaper option. However, this sticker price may not adequately represent the difference in living costs between Long Beach and Phoenix. Cal State Long Beach is in a Mountain and Grand Canyon University (GCU) is in a East South Central - sometimes off campus meals and housing costs can dramatically vary between schools
Is California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) or Grand Canyon University (GCU) Harder to get into? Which school is easier to get into?
If you’re looking at acceptance rate alone, then California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.
Therefore, the acceptance rate alone is not a good indicator that California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) is a better school or will be more difficult for you specifically to get into. On the flipside, Grand Canyon University (GCU) is easier to get into based on acceptance rate alone.
You can use the below college admissions predictor to determine your likelihood of acceptance at either school.
How Do Cal State Long Beach Dorms Compare to housing Options at Grand Canyon University (GCU)?
Both colleges provide on-campus living options. Cal State Long Beach charges for on-campus living, while Grand Canyon University (GCU) charges N/A for on-campus living. Most importantly, though, check out the video below for a sample of dorm tours at each school.
Cal State Long Beach and Grand Canyon University (GCU) student body differences
The table below helps demonstrate the student body differences as well.
| California State University-Long Beach (CSULB), % | Grand Canyon University (GCU),% | |
|---|---|---|
| White | 18.81 | 48.36 |
| Hispanic | 39.09 | 18.9 |
| Black | 3.83 | 17.810000000000002 |
| Foreign | 6.13 | 0.0 |
| Others | 32.1 | 14.9 |
How different is the California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) campus compared to Grand Canyon University (GCU) campus?
The Cal State Long Beach campus is located in Long Beach, CA and is characterized as City: Large (population of 250,000 or more). The Grand Canyon University (GCU) campus is located in Phoenix, AZ and is characterized as City: Large (population of 250,000 or more).
Which school gives more financial aid?
Cal State Long Beach provides $5,507 whereas Grand Canyon University (GCU) provides an average of $8,248.
How does Cal State Long Beach academics compare to Grand Canyon University (GCU)?
When analyzing academics between California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) and Grand Canyon University (GCU) we’ll look at both what current students are studying and also where they end up after graduation. After all, college should prepare you for a career! Analyzing each school’s outcomes is super valuable to understand the value of the degree.
| Majors | Cal State Long Beach | Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture agriculture operations and related sciences | N/A | N/A |
| Natural resources and conservation | 30 | N/A |
| Architecture and related services | N/A | N/A |
| Area ethnic cultural gender and group studies | 110 | N/A |
| Communication journalism and related programs | 563 | 136 |
| Computer and information sciences and support services | 140 | N/A |
| Communications technologies technicians and support services | N/A | N/A |
| Personal and culinary services | N/A | N/A |
| Engineering | 673 | N/A |
| Education | N/A | 1130 |
| Engineering technologies and engineering related fields | 64 | N/A |
Which is better: California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) or Grand Canyon University (GCU)?
We’ve compared dorm life, costs, outcomes and more to provide the most complete comparison between Cal State Long Beach and Grand Canyon University (GCU). But, you’re smart enough to know that numbers paint a terrible picture for truly understanding what each college and community is like. And, the real answer to which school is better is: the school that’s right for you. No matter who you ask, if they know what they’re talking about, the answer is the same: the “better” school is whatever is the best fit for you personally. That’s why it’s extremely important to check out all the videos on CampusReel for each school.
How does Cal State Long Beach social life compare to Grand Canyon University (GCU)?
It’s tough to understand the nuances of social life with data alone. That’s why we’ve brought in real student videos to show how Cal State Long Beach social life differs from Grand Canyon University (GCU).
Check here.
Check here.