The California State University (CSU) is the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year public university. With 22* unique universities , the CSU serves more than 460,000 students and employs more than 61,000 faculty and staff.
Each year, the university awards nearly 123,000 degrees, changing the trajectory of students’ lives by opening doors to opportunities for upward mobility. More than one-quarter of CSU students are the first in their families to attend college and more than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.
For one of the most affordable tuitions in the country, students learn from world-class faculty, gain valuable hands-on experiences and receive strong career advising, empowering them to become leaders in the changing workforce.
CSU graduates are leaders in the industries that drive California’s economy, including business, agriculture, entertainment, engineering, teaching, hospitality and health care. To learn more, visit the California State University website.
A Tradition of Excellence for More Than Six Decades
Since 1961, the CSU has provided an affordable, accessible and high-quality education to millions of Californians. While each university is unique based on its curricular specialties, location and culture, every CSU is distinguished for the quality of its educational programs. All CSUs are fully accredited, provide an outstanding, broad liberal educational program and offer opportunities for students to engage in university life through the Associated Students, Inc., clubs and service learning.
Facts
- Today, one in every 20 Americans with a college degree is a CSU graduate.
- 1 in every 10 employees in California is a CSU graduate.
- The CSU’s network of more than 4 million alumni is larger than the population of 23 U.S. states.
- The CSU awards nearly half of the bachelor’s degrees earned in California.
- The CSU awards more than one-quarter of California’s baccalaureate nursing degrees.
- In 2024-2025 the CSU prepared more of California’s teachers than any other institution of the state.
- About 4% of the nation’s teachers graduate from the CSU.
- In 2024-25, CSU students earned nearly 18,000 undergraduate business degrees and more than 7,300 engineering degrees.
- The CSU offers more than 4,000 degree programs that align with the state’s workforce demands.
- The CSU’s online concurrent enrollment program gives students the ability to enroll in courses offered by other universities in the CSU system.
- Through CSU community engagement centers, over 67,000 students participated in service-learning, contributing more than 1.5 million hours of service in each year.
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*Transition to 22 universities in progress (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Maritime integrating)- official fall 2026.
Governance
The CSU is governed by the Board of Trustees, most of whom are appointed by the governor and serve with faculty and student representatives. The CSU chancellor is the chief executive officer, reporting to the board. The presidents serve as the university-level chief executive officers. The trustees, chancellor and presidents develop university-wide educational policy. The presidents, in consultation with the CSU Academic Senate and other university stakeholder groups, render and implement local policy decisions.
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CSU Historical Milestones
The individual California State Colleges were established as a system with a Board of Trustees and a chancellor in 1960 by the Donahoe Higher Education Act. In 1972, the system was designated as the California State University and Colleges, and in 1982 the system became the California State University (CSU). Today, the CSU is comprised of 22 member universities, including comprehensive and polytechnic universities.The oldest university - San José State University - was founded in 1857 and became the first institution of public higher education in California. The newest-California State University Channel Islands - opened in fall 2002, with freshmen arriving in fall 2003. And in 2022, the CSU in Humboldt became California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, joining San Luis Obispo and Pomona as the state’s third public polytechnical university.
In 1963, the CSU’s Academic Senate was established to act as the official voice of CSU faculty in university wide matters. Also, the California State College Student Presidents Association - which was later renamed the California State Student Association (CSSA), was founded to represent each university student association on issues affecting students.
Through its many decades of service, the CSU has continued to adapt to address societal changes, student needs and workforce trends. While the CSU’s core mission has always focused on providing high-quality, affordable bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, over time the university has added a wide range of services and programs to support student success - from adding health centers and special programs for veterans to building student residential facilities to provide a comprehensive educational experience.
In 2010, in an effort to accommodate community college transfer students, the CSU, in concert with the California Community Colleges (CCC), launched the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), which guarantees CCC transfer students with an ADT admission to the CSU with junior status. The ADT has since proven to be one of the most effective paths to a CSU for community college transfer students. In 2023, the CSU launched the Transfer Success Pathway program to guarantee future CSU admission to high school graduates who are entering a California community college and who commit to transferring within three years
Always adapting to changes in technology to support student learning and degree completion, the CSU launched CSU Fully Online, which enables CSU students to complete online courses at other CSU’s, expanding enrollment opportunities and providing more educational opportunities for students who may prefer an online format to a traditional classroom setting.
The CSU marked a significant educational milestone when it broadened its degree offerings to include doctoral degrees. The CSU independently offers Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Audiology (AuD), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Doctor of Public Health(DrPH) degree programs. A limited number of other doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and private institutions in California.
The CSU strives to continually develop innovative programs, services and opportunities that will give students the tools they need to meet their full potential. In 2025, the CSU shared a new systemwide strategic plan, CSU Forward: Thriving Students, Thriving University, Thriving California, the system’s most comprehensive and ambitious strategic plan to transform how the CSU defines student success and fulfills its role as California’s most powerful engine of opportunity, economic mobility and inclusive excellence. The strategic plan centers on four performance objectives: economic mobility engine, sustainable affordability, employer of choice and statewide impact.
With the conclusion of the 10-year Graduation Initiative 2025 and the Year of Engagement project, the CSU unveiled a new Student Success Framework to meet the needs of today’s students and achieve new heights of student success. As a companion to CSU Forward, the framework aims to improve opportunity outcome gaps, strengthen career readiness and advance social mobility for all CSU students. By providing an accessible, hands-on education that prepares graduates for career success, the CSU has created a network of alumni so extensive and renowned that it spans across the globe. More than 4 million CSU alumni are making a difference in the lives of the people of California and the world.
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Average Support Cost Per Full-Time Equivalent Student and Sources of Funds
The total support cost per full-time equivalent student (FTES) includes the expenditures for current operations, including payments made to students in the form of financial aid, and all fully reimbursed programs contained in state appropriations. The average support cost is determined by dividing the total cost by the number of FTES. The total CSU 2024-25 budget amounts were $5,234,899,000 from state General Fund (GF) appropriations, $2,614,362,000 from gross tuition revenue, and $2,614,362,000 from other fee revenues for a total of $8,601,958,000. The 2024-25 resident FTES target is 290,598 and the nonresident FTES based on past-year actual is 21,362 for a total of 411,960 FTES. The GF appropriation is applicable to resident students only whereas fee revenues are collected from resident and nonresident students. FTES is derived by dividing the total student credit units attempted by a fixed amount depending on academic level (e.g., 30 for a semester university and 45 for a quarter university, the figures that define a full-time undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student’s academic load).
2025-26 State Appropriation (GF) [1]
Amount: $4,957,363
Percentage: 58.4%
Average Cost per FTES: $12,692
2025-26 Gross Tuition Revenue [2]
Amount: $2,778,751
Percentage: 32.7%
Average Cost per FTES: $6,747
Other Fees Revenue [2]
Amount: $752,697,000
Percentage: 8.9%
Average Cost per FTES: $1,828
Total Support Cost
Amount: $8,488,811
Percentage: 100%
Average Cost per FTES: $21,575
[1] Represents state GF appropriation in the Budget Act of 2025-26; GF is divisible by resident students only (390,598 FTES).
[2] Represents CSU Operating Fund, gross tuition and other fees revenue amounts from the 2025-26 Final Budget Allocations memo . Revenues are divisible by resident and nonresident students (411,840 FTES).
The 2025-26 average support cost per FTES based on GF appropriation and tuition fee revenue only is $19,748 and is $21,757, with all fee revenue (e.g., tuition fees, application fees, and campus mandatory fees) in the CSU Operating Fund. Of this amount, the average tuition and other fee revenue per FTES is $8,173.
The average CSU 2025-26 academic year, resident, undergraduate student basic tuition and other mandatory fees required to apply to, enroll in, or attend the university is $8,644 ($6,450 tuition fee plus $2,194 average campus-based fees). However, the costs paid by individual students will vary depending on the university, program, and whether a student is part-time, full-time, resident, or nonresident.
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Trustees of the CSU Ex Officio Trustees
The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
The Honorable Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California
The Honorable Robert Rivas, Speaker of the Assembly
The Honorable Tony K. Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Dr. Mildred García, Chancellor, California State University
Officers of the Trustees
The Honorable Gavin Newsom - President
Jack B. Clarke Jr. - Chair
Diego Arambula - Vice Chair
Dawn S. Theodora - Interim Secretary
Patrick J. Lenz - Interim Treasurer
Appointed Trustees
Appointments are for a term of eight years, except student, alumni, and faculty trustees, whose terms are for two years. Terms expire in the year in parentheses. Names are listed alphabetically.
Larry L. Adamson (2028)
Diego Arambula (2028)
Raji Kaur Brar (2029)
Jack B. Clarke Jr. (2027)
Kelly M. Dermody (2033)
Andrea C. Evans (2030)
Carson Fajardo (2027) (S)
Jean P. Firstenberg (2026)
Wenda Fong (2032)
Mark Ghilarducci (2031)
Leslie Gilbert-Lurie (2030)
Jazmin Guarjardo (2026) (S)
Julia I. Lopez (2028)
Jack McGrory (2031)
Sam Nejabat (2027)
Yammilette Rodriguez (2029)
Christopher J. Steinhauser (2026)
Darlene Yee-Melichar(2026)(F)
Correspondence with trustees should be sent to: c/o Office of the Board of Trustees, The California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach, CA 90802-4210 or trusteesoffice@calstate.edu.
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Office of the Chancellor
The California State University
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach, CA 90802-4210
(562) 951-4000
Dr. Mildred García - Chancellor
Ms. Dawn S. Theodora - Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
Mr. Patrick J. Lenz - Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Dave Grant- Interim Vice Chancellor, Human Resources and Chief HR Officer
Mr. Vlad Marinescu - Vice Chancellor and Chief Audit Officer
Mr. Greg Saks - Vice Chancellor, External Relations and Communications
Dr. Junius J. Gonzalez - Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, and Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Dilcie D. Perez - Vice Chancellor, Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success, Chief Student Affairs Officer
Ms. Danielle Garcia - Deputy Vice Chancellor for System Strategy & Operations
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The California State University System
California State University, Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022
Dr. Vernon B. Harper, Jr., President
(661) 654-2782
CSU Bakersfield website
California State University, Channel Islands
1 University Drive
Camarillo, CA 93012
Dr. Susan A. Andrzejewski, Interim President
(805) 437-8400
CSU Channel Islands website
California State University, Chico
400 W. First St.
Chico, CA 95929
Dr. Steve Perez, President
(530) 898-4636
Chico State website
California State University, Dominguez Hills
1000 East Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal, Interim President
(310) 243-3696
CSU Dominguez Hills website
California State University, East Bay
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94542
Dr. Cathy A. Sandeen, President
(510) 885-3000
Cal State East Bay website
California State University, Fresno
5241 North Maple Ave.
Fresno, CA 93740
Dr. Saúl Jimémez-Sandoval, President
(559) 278-4240
CSU Fresno website
California State University, Fullerton
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831-3599
Dr. Ronald S. Rochon, President
(657) 278-2011
Cal State Fullerton website
California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt
1 Harpst St
Arcata, CA 95521-8299
Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, President
(707) 826-3011
Cal Poly Humboldt website
California State University, Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Blvd
Long Beach, CA 90840-0115
Dr. Loren J. Blanchard, President
(562) 985-4111
Cal State Long Beach website
California State University, Los Angeles
5151 State University Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90032
Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes, President
(323) 343-3000
Cal State LA website
California State University, Monterey Bay
100 Campus Center
Seaside, CA 93955-8001
Dr. Vanya Quiñones, President
(831) 582-3000
CSU Monterey Bay website
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330
Dr. Ericka D. Beck, President
(818) 677-1200
CSUN website
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
3801 W. Temple Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768
Dr. Vanya Quiñones, President
(909) 869-7659
Cal Poly Pomona website
California State University, Sacramento
6000 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95819
Dr. Luke Wood, President
(916) 278-6011
Sacramento State website
California State University, San Bernardino
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2318
Dr. Tomás D. Morales, President
(909) 537-5000
Cal State San Bernardino website
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182
Dr. Adela de la Torre, President
(619) 594-5200
San Diego State website
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
Dr. Lynn Mahoney, President
(415) 338-1111
San Francisco State website
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0001
Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, President
(408) 924-1000
San José State website
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
1 Grand Ave
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Dr. Jeffrey D. Armstrong, President
(805) 756-1111
Cal Poly , San Luis Obispo website
California State University, San Marcos
333 South Twin Oaks Valley Rd
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
Dr. Ellen J. Neufeldt, President
(760) 750-4000
CSU San Marcos website
Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Dr. Michael E. Spagna, President
(707) 664-2880
Sonoma State website
California State University, Stanislaus
1 University Circle
Turlock, CA 95382
Dr. Britt Rios Ellis, President
(209) 667-3122
Stanislaus State website
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