Public · University

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California · Midsize city

#3 best value in California
93.7%
Admit rate
$4,564
Avg net price
55%
Graduation rate
$59,977
Median earnings

California State University-San Bernardino is a public bachelor's-granting institution in San Bernardino, California (midsize city setting), enrolling 15,023 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

PublicLarge · 15,023 undergradsMidsize cityAccessible · 94% admitNCAA Division II without footballCold winters

About San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino is a city in and the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Kaawchama was perhaps the most significant in the region, being a regional center for trade that was connected to villages in Southern California and the Colorado River through the Mohave Trail, that was used by the Mohave, Serrano, Cahuilla, Payomkawichum, and others. San Bernardino offers several parks and other recreation facilities. Perris Hill Park is the largest with Roosevelt Bowl, Fiscalini Field, several tennis courts, a Y.M.C.A., a senior center, a shooting range, hiking trails, and a pool. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Midsize city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To the ocean
52 miles
Nearest airport
8 miles to San Bernardino (SBD) · major hub

How California State University-San Bernardino compares

View 126 more ranking appearances
#41 · Colleges Admitting at Least 50% of Applicants with the Lowest Student Debt #48 · Colleges Admitting at Least 50% of Applicants with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #4 · Colleges Admitting at Least 75% of Applicants with the Lowest Net Price #21 · Colleges Admitting at Least 75% of Applicants with the Lowest Student Debt #26 · Colleges Admitting at Least 75% of Applicants with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #58 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #96 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Graduation Rates #72 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Retention Rates #14 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Net Price #58 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Student Debt #56 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #77 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #87 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #61 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #11 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #47 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #45 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #13 · Public Universities with the Lowest Net Price #50 · Public Universities with the Lowest Student Debt #64 · Public Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #70 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #77 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #3 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #35 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #36 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #47 · Colleges with the Lowest Cost of Attendance #3 · Colleges with the Most First-Generation Students #96 · Colleges with the Most Pell Grant Recipients #32 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $30,000–$48,000 #17 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $48,000–$75,000 #9 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $75,000–$110,000 #51 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning Over $110,000 #9 · Public Universities with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price #65 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in California #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in California #65 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in California #17 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in California #56 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in California #95 · Best Colleges in the West #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #82 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #29 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #2 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #44 · Best Public Universities in the West #81 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #79 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #65 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #20 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #2 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #36 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #81 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #81 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #66 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #22 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #2 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #36 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #26 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Riverside, CA #99 · Bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #15 · Bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #70 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #80 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #67 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #72 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #28 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #39 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #52 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #23 · Bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #29 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #74 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #17 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Accounting and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #96 · Bachelor's Accounting and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #15 · Bachelor's Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #25 · Bachelor's Health and Medical Administrative Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #17 · Bachelor's Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Finance and Financial Management Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #31 · Bachelor's Finance and Financial Management Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #38 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #69 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Marketing Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #37 · Bachelor's Marketing Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #52 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #74 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #59 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #65 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #73 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #4 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #13 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #36 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #58 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #98 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #41 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #22 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #91 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #13 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #22 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #53 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #97 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #30 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #81 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #18 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #18 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #8 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #78 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #32 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Human Resources Management and Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #9 · Bachelor's Human Resources Management and Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #37 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #27 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity93.7%

More selective than 16% · #85 most selective of 107 in California

Graduation rate55%

Higher than 50% · #81 of 122 in California

First-year retention80%

Higher than 61%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$59,977

Higher than 67% · #80 of 130 in California

Average net price$4,564

Cheaper than 99% · #3 cheapest of 118 in California

Median debt at graduation$14,715

Lower than 91%

Student–faculty ratio22 : 1

Lower than 6%

Undergraduate enrollment15,023

Larger than 93%

Percentiles compare California State University-San Bernardino with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

18,150students
  • Undergraduate15,02383%
  • Graduate3,12717%

Undergraduates by gender

15,023undergrads
  • Women9,38562%
  • Men5,63838%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White9.3%
  • Black5.6%
  • Hispanic73%
  • Asian5.8%
  • Other or multiracial6.4%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
15,023
Graduate enrollment
3,127
Student–faculty ratio
22 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
58%
First-generation students
60%
Students over 25
24%
Median family income
$25,849
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$107,892
Endowment
$58,296,181

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 2,244 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From California99%
  • Other U.S. states0.5%
  • International0.9%

Most first-years stay in state — California State University-San Bernardino draws overwhelmingly from California.

1% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
93.7%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—

Cost

In-state tuition
$8,093
Out-of-state tuition
$20,693
Room & board
$15,002
Books & supplies
$886
Total cost of attendance
$17,427
Average net price
$4,564

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
55%
Graduated on time (4 years)
25%
First-year retention
80%
Transferred to another college
1%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$43,149
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$59,977
Median debt at graduation
$14,715
Students with federal loans
24%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
46%

About 30% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
25%
Low-income (Pell)
54%
First-generation
54%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
1,486
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
10%
Housing charge (year)
$7,796
Meal plan (year)
$4,178
Application fee
$70
Athletics
NCAA Division II without football
Varsity athletes
239 (95 men · 144 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (8)

Soccer69
Track and Field (Outdoor)41
Baseball36
Basketball30
Softball20
Cross Country17
Volleyball17
Golf9

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
B
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
1.3 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
19
Property offenses (2022–2024)
55

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 2 campuses (18,492 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

25reported offenses a year
6.3 violent a year18 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
13
Burglary
3.3
Aggravated assault
2.7
Rape
2.0
Arson
2.0
Robbery
1.3
Fondling
0.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$2,681
$30–48k
$2,680
$48–75k
$4,735
$75–110k
$7,745
$110k+
$14,316

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$22,762

$4,735/year × about 4.8 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

57%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$5,721
average award, among those who get one

Modest institutional aid: 57% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $5,721. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 2,236 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$59,977
Typical debt at graduation
$14,715
Debt vs. one year's pay
25%
Out-earn a HS grad
59%

Typical debt would take roughly 2.5 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Solid value

A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$56,488
Men
$66,625

Men out-earn women by $10,137 (18%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
82°F
Winter low
29°F
Annual rain
37.7″
Annual snow
22.4″

Average temperature

HighLow
20°60°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.05.09.9JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Lake Arrowhead, CA US station (8.9 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to California State University-San Bernardino

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare California State University-San Bernardino side by side →

Colleges near California State University-San Bernardino

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.