Timothy Peck July 24, 2025 6 11th Grade,12th Grade,College Lists

Cal State Acceptance Rates: Easiest and Hardest CSU to Get Into

What’s Covered:

• CSU Acceptance Rates
• Hardest CSU Schools to Get Into
• Easiest CSU Schools to Get Into
• What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

The California State University (CSU) system enrolls almost half a million students, produces roughly 125,000 graduates annually, and has conferred degrees on more than four million living alumni. While Cal State schools share a reputation for fostering diverse student bodies and providing affordable education, they also offer diverse experiences. For example, undergraduate enrollment at the smallest Cal State school, Cal State Maritime, is approximately 800, and enrollment at the largest Cal State School, Cal State Fullerton, is just about 40,000.

The Cal State schools also differ in the level of difficulty in admissions, with some Cal State schools being easier to gain acceptance to than others. In this post, we’ll share the acceptance rates at CSU and what makes the most and least selective schools stand out.

List of the CSU Schools

The California State University encompasses 23 campuses—spanning 800 miles from as far north as Arcata to as far south as San Diego. All of the CSU campuses offer four-year programs, however, each campus offers its own unique variety of degrees and acceptance rates. The 23 CSU schools are:

• CSU Bakersfield
• CSU Channel Islands
• CSU Chico
• CSU Dominguez Hills
• CSU East Bay
• CSU Fresno
• CSU Fullerton
• Cal Poly Humboldt
• CSU Long Beach
• CSU Los Angeles
• CSU Maritime Academy
• CSU Monterey Bay
• CSU Northridge
• CSU Pomona
• CSU Sacramento
• CSU San Bernardino
• San Diego State University
• San Francisco State University
• San José State University
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• CSU San Marcos
• Sonoma State University
• CSU Stanislaus
  

CSU Acceptance Rates

Hardest CSU Schools to Get Into

1. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Acceptance Rate: 29%

With its 9,178-acre campus, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) is the second-largest land-holding university in California and one of the largest land-holding universities in the nation. Situated between San Francisco, which lies 230 miles to the north, and Los Angeles, which is 200 miles to the south, Cal Poly SLO students truly are at the center of the action.

Engineering is the most popular major at Cal Poly SLO, but the school is best known for its agricultural programs, which are among the best in the nation. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences offers 15 majors, ranging from agricultural business to wine and viticulture.

2. San Diego State University

Acceptance Rate: 31%

Founded in 1897, San Diego State University (SDSU) is the oldest institution of higher learning in San Diego and has grown into a research powerhouse, with more than $225 million in grant funding in 2023-24. SDSU has gained some notoriety for its annual Student Symposium, a two-day event that gives SDSU students—both undergraduate and graduate—a chance to present their research, scholarship, and creative activities.

SDSU has a well-deserved reputation for diversity: it’s a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) as well as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI).

3. CSU Long Beach

Acceptance Rate: 46%

CSU Long Beach (CSULB) is the second-largest campus of the California State University system and the third-largest in the state of California by enrollment. The school is home to over 35,000 undergraduates and offers more than 90 majors, ranging from agriculture to women’s studies. CSULB has been designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2005 (21 of the 23 CSU campuses are designated as HSIs).

In addition to its large enrollment numbers, CSULB is notable for the many attractions found on its campus. For example, it’s home to a world-class art museum, a gorgeous Japanese garden, and the Walter Pyramid—the dramatic-looking, 18-story-tall, cobalt structure where CSULB’s men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams play.

4. Cal Poly Pomona

Acceptance Rate: 74%

Cal Poly Pomona believes students learn by doing and prioritizes hands-on experiences as well as classroom learning. Mentoring plays a substantial role in the Cal Poly Pomona experience. There are a number of peer, professional, and alumni mentorship programs available to students.

Cal Poly Pomona is also home to some unique guests—namely, some of the world’s finest Arabian horses. The W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center is located on campus. Established by the cereal magnate Will Keith Kellogg in the 1920s, the ranch was presented to the state of California in the 1930s with the stipulation that the breeding program be maintained as well as Sunday shows, which still occur October through May on the first Sunday of every month.

5. San José State University

Acceptance Rate: 85%

San José State University, or more simply SJSU, dates back to before the Civil War. It was founded in 1857 as a school to educate teachers. Today, the school offers almost 150 majors and over 120 minors. A large part of SJSU’s appeal is its proximity to the Silicon Valley and abundance of opportunities in technology.

The school is known for its vibrant and diverse campus. There are roughly 450 student-run organizations, Greek Life, and 17 Division 1 sports. The university is also home to the Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center,  Black Leadership and Opportunity Center, PRIDE Center,  Gender Equity Center, Veterans Resource Center, and UndocuSpartan Student Resource Center—ensuring everyone feels at home and welcome on campus.

Easiest CSU Schools to Get Into

1. CSU Stanislaus

Acceptance Rate: 98%

CSU Stanislaus (or, as it’s more commonly known, Stanislaus State) was founded in 1957, making it the fifteenth school of the CSU System. The college now resides on two campuses, one in Turlock and one in Stockton, and offers 45 majors and 44 minors through its four academic colleges:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
• College of Education, Kinesiology, and Social Work
• College of Science

Stanislaus State attracts a high number of first-generation college students, who make up 71% of its enrollment. The university appeals to these students with its strong reputation for social mobility, generous financial aid—degree-seeking undergraduates received an average of $10,606 in the 2022–23 academic year—and a promising return on investment. On average, graduates earn $100,000 fifteen years after completing their degree.

2. CSU Monterey Bay

Acceptance Rate: 97%

CSU Monterey Bay is one of the newest campuses in the CSU system, founded in 1994. Despite its young age, the campus has a rich history—it’s located on the site of the former Fort Ord Army base, where notable figures like Clint Eastwood and Jimi Hendrix once completed basic training.

CSU Monterey Bay offers 26 undergraduate majors, as well as 9 graduate programs. The college has a reputation for social mobility and value. It’s also known to attract a diverse student body. Roughly half of its students (49%) are first-generation college students, and more than half (52%) are underrepresented minorities.

3. CSU San Marcos

Acceptance Rate: 95%

CSU San Marcos is another newer entry in the CSU System—it was founded in 1989. In the intervening years, the school has grown from 448 students, 12 faculty members, and nine majors to nearly 17,000 students, 43 majors (plus 24 master’s programs and one joint doctoral program), and 284 tenure-track faculty.

CSU San Marcos has a bustling campus and a number of newer buildings, including an innovation hub, a 90,000-square-foot student union, a sports center, and a library. It’s also home to an active student body, with more than 100 student clubs and organizations and roughly 25 Greek Life chapters.

4. CSU Northridge

Acceptance Rate: 93%

With almost 37,000 students and more than 2,000 faculty members, CSU Northridge (CSUN) is one of the largest universities in the nation. It’s home to nine academic colleges and offers 152 undergraduate majors, 109 master’s degree programs, and several doctoral programs.

CSUN is home to more than 300 student organizations and offers 19 Division 1 sports. CSUN promotes opportunities for all students, and diversity is at the core of the university. More than half of the student body is Latino/a, and almost 70% of students are the first in their family to attend college.

5. Cal State East Bay

Acceptance Rate: N/A

Although Cal East Bay doesn’t publish its acceptance rate, it’s commonly thought to be among the easiest CSU schools to gain admission to. The school is continuously evolving—consider that the school has had five names in its 60+ years of operation:

• The State College for Alameda County
• Alameda County State College
• California State College at Hayward
• California State University, Hayward
• California State University, East Bay

Today, Cal State East Bay is known for its spectacular location in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area—it’s just a 30- to 40-minute drive to San Francisco, Oakland, and Silicon Valley, each of which offers seemingly boundless internship and career opportunities.

Cal State East Bay has developed a reputation for the diversity of its student body. More than 60% of undergraduates are women, Latinx students make up almost 40% of undergraduates, and Asian students account for almost 25% of undergraduates. The school also welcomes more than 1,100 international students from over 60 countries.

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

Your chances of admission at any of the California State Universities largely depend on the strength of your profile. CollegeVine can help add clarity to your college search—our free chancing engine uses factors like academics, extracurriculars, and demographics to estimate your odds at hundreds of colleges across the country, including the easiest and hardest CSUs to get into. Furthermore, it provides insight into your profile, highlighting your strengths and illuminating areas to improve.