Below are the formal names of the CSU campuses:
California State University, Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands*
California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, East Bay
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt**
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University Maritime Academy*
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona**
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San José State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo**
California State University San Marcos*
Sonoma State University
California State University, Stanislaus
California State University, Office of the Chancellor
*Please note Channel Islands, Maritime and San Marcos do not have a comma in their formal names.
**Please note the order of Polytechnic and State when referring to Humboldt, Pomona and San Luis Obispo.
Campus Abbreviations and Alternate Variations
After the first mention of a campus, you can use the short form or the initials for variation, if applicable.
Updated March 29, 2024.
| Bakersfield | CSU Bakersfield | CSUB |
| Channel Islands | CSU Channel Islands | CI |
| Chico | Chico State
| – |
| Dominguez Hills | CSU Dominguez Hills | CSUDH |
| East Bay | Cal State East Bay | CSUEB |
| Fresno | Fresno State | – |
| Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | CSUF
|
| Humboldt | Cal Poly Humboldt
| –
|
| Long Beach | Cal State Long Beach | CSULB |
| Los Angeles | Cal State LA | –
|
|
Maritime Academy* | Cal Maritime | – |
| Monterey Bay | Cal State Monterey Bay | CSUMB |
Northridge
| CSUN
| CSUN |
| Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona | CPP |
| Sacramento | Sacramento State | – |
| San Bernardino | Cal State San Bernardino | CSUSB |
| San Diego | San Diego State | SDSU
|
| San Francisco | San Francisco State | SF State*
|
| San José | San José State | SJSU |
| San Luis Obispo | Cal Poly**
| – |
| San Marcos | CSU San Marcos | CSUSM |
| Sonoma | Sonoma State | SSU |
| Stanislaus | Stanislaus State | – |
*Please note Maritime Academy must only be used if it appears in an alphabetical list with other campus city/location names. If the campus name appears on its own use Cal Maritime or the full formal name. Never use CSUM initials for this campus. San Francisco State prefers its short name to be SF State. Only use SFSU if no good alternative exists.
**Cal Poly does not use "San Luis Obispo" in its short form name. However, in instances when multiple CSU campuses are mentioned, "Cal Poly San Luis Obispo" may be necessary to differentiate it from other campuses. Or say, "Cal Poly, which is located in San Luis Obispo..."
Exceptions
• When listing multiple campuses, using the location name will suffice after "CSU campuses of". For example: "The CSU campuses of Bakersfield, Maritime, San Diego and San Luis Obispo were recognized..."
• When it is obvious that the writer is referring to campuses in the system, using the location name only will suffice. For example: "The enrollments at Long Beach and San José have increased."
When referring to the California State University (CSU) generally or the CSU system, please do not use:
- California State
- Cal State
- Cal State University
- Cal State U
- CS
- California-State-University
- California State University at (location name)
- For example: "The California State University at Bakersfield is..."