California State University (Long Beach) is the second largest campus in California's state system, and the number of registered students ranks third in California. The school is located at the southeast end of the Los Angeles coastline, less than a mile from Orange County.
The school has been highly praised by many top American university guides, and was rated as one of the three best public universities in the western region that can award master's degrees in 2005, 2006 and 2007 by American News and World Report magazine and The Guide to the Best American Universities.
The school was also rated as the third best public school in the United States by Princeton Review. In March 2006, the university was listed as "Top Ten Best Universities in America" by the magazine.