Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at California State University-Long Beach

Cal State Long Beach graduates this program with remarkably low debt—just $12,187 compared to the state median of $18,638—but that advantage alone doesn't tell the full story. First-year earnings of $27,726 trail both the state median ($30,984) and national median ($31,459), landing this program in the 40th percentile among California schools. For context, similar programs at Cal State East Bay and Pomona yield first-year earnings around $40,000-47,000, highlighting significant variation in outcomes across the Cal State system.

The encouraging news is the earnings trajectory: graduates see 44% income growth by year four, reaching $40,003. This catches them up to and even surpasses the earnings of top programs in the state within a few years. Combined with that minimal debt load, the financial picture improves considerably over time. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 is manageable, especially given that half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting the program serves students who benefit most from keeping costs low.

Your child would graduate with less debt than nearly any comparable program in California, but should expect a slower initial launch financially. If they can weather the lower starting salary—perhaps through family support or part-time work—the four-year numbers show this becomes a reasonable investment, particularly when debt burden matters more than maximizing immediate earnings.