Measuring the Value of the CSU

Measuring the Value of a CSU Education

The value of a California State University education can be measured in many ways, and it's important for students, parents, policymakers, taxpayers and the public to understand what they get for their investment.

That is why the California State University was one of the first university systems to join the nationwide "Voluntary System of Accountability," a program created by public colleges and universities to provide greater accountability to the public through accessible, transparent, and comparable information.

Each CSU Campus has a "College Portrait" that provides information in a common, user-friendly format. It is designed to be a source of reliable data for prospective students and their families.

Current and prospective students will find the value of a CSU education means one of the lowest public university tuitions in the nation, many financial aid options, low debt upon graduation, and the promise of a better job and a more stable economic future.

California's taxpayers benefit from the CSU's 90,000 annual graduates, who become the teachers, scientists, engineers, nurses, architects and myriad other professionals whose work is critical to all Californians. With a college degree, they are more likely to be—and stay—employed and help fuel California's businesses and industries—an exceptional return on the state's investment.