By Monica Rodriguez for The Eastsider
Originally published on Feb. 4, 2026
At a time when most California State University campuses are seeing enrollment grow, a handful — including Cal State L.A. — are experiencing declines.
Enrollment at the El Sereno institution has fluctuated over the past decade. The 21,708 students registered last fall are down nearly 25% from the most recent peak in 2017, according to CSU figures.
A Cal State L.A. official said the drop is due to multiple factors, including a history of over enrollment.
“Cal State L.A. has historically been overenrolled by thousands of students, meaning we received no state funding for those students,” spokesman Erik Frost Hollins said in an email.
To address that issue, university officials in 2018 reduced enrollment “to align with our state-funded target and better match our student population with resources,” Hollins said.
Additional factors affecting enrollment include the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term demographic shifts such as lower birth rates and a shrinking pool of traditional college-age students—those enrolling directly after high school, Hollins said. Taken together, these factors have left the university “a few points below our target this year,” according to Hollins.
Graphic by The Eastsider. Photo provided by Cal State L.A.
University leadership is working to boost enrollment by recruiting first-time students, using targeted advertising and partnering with community organizations. The campus has also “reimagined our First Flight orientation,” said Hollins, referring to a program that allows incoming students to have an overnight stay designed to give them a better sense of campus life.
Student government president Arwa Hammad said she has seen increased outreach to high school and community college students. The university also hosts on-campus events throughout the year where prospective students can learn about academic programs, student involvement, and leadership opportunities.
“The university has also become more visible at local community events throughout Los Angeles and has worked to engage more with the East L.A. community as a whole,” Hammad said.
Despite these efforts, Hollins said it will take several years for enrollment to stabilize.
“In the meantime, we are looking to better retain our current students, both to meet our mission-centered goals on student success and to support increased enrollment,” he said.
