Side-by-side
California State University-Long Beach vs Columbia University
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Same u campus feel and a comparable size (36k undergrads vs 37k undergrads) — students often consider these side-by-side.
| California State University-Long Beach | Columbia University | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 46% | 4% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $7,350 | $65,524 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $19,950 | $65,524 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $7,350 | — |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $19,950 | — |
| Graduation rate | 69% | 95% |
| Total enrollment | 35,924 | 36,649 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/california-state-university-long-beach-vs-columbia-university.