Long Beach City College (LBCC) is a public two-year college serving Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill and Santa Catalina Island. Its roots go back to 1927, when it opened as Long Beach Junior College. After the 1933 earthquake damaged its first high-school home, classes met in tents at Recreation Park; the institution moved to the present Liberal Arts Campus in 1935 and added the Pacific Coast site in 1949. That second campus is now called the Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus (TTC). Together, the two locations offer transfer courses, associate degrees, career training, English-language study and community programs. Choosing a campus by address alone can be misleading: the right location depends on the course, service or adviser you need.
General admission starts with a free online OpenCCC application for the term you plan to attend. LBCC asks applicants to create an account, provide an email address, list schools previously attended and identify the highest English and math courses completed. The college’s published eligibility includes high-school graduates and people with an equivalent credential; applicants age 18 or older without a diploma may also qualify, while minors use dual-enrollment routes. After the application is accepted, a student receives a Viking ID, completes online orientation, meets with an adviser, makes an education plan and registers for classes. Admission to LBCC does not guarantee a seat in selective programs such as nursing: those have prerequisites, program applications and deadlines of their own. Start with the new-student checklist and confirm any program-specific requirements before arranging a schedule.
The clearest current price comparison is LBCC’s 2026–27 cost-of-attendance budget. It estimates annual tuition and fees of $1,564 for a California resident and $13,340 for a nonresident. The college presents these as planning figures for financial-aid budgets, not a universal final invoice; the student’s residency determination, units, course materials and program fees can change the amount. Books, transport, food and housing appear separately in the same budget, so they should not be mistaken for tuition. For a rough academic timeline, associate degrees generally require at least 60 semester units. LBCC’s career-program guidance says some certificates can be completed in one semester and an associate pathway may take about two years of full-time study. Nursing illustrates why the sequence matters: its four-semester nursing curriculum begins only after prerequisites and selective admission. Part-time attendance, developmental preparation, course availability and clinical placements may lengthen the calendar.
Financial aid can reduce the bill, but it depends on eligibility and separate applications. LBCC directs students to the federal FAFSA or the California Dream Act application; its FAFSA school code is 001219. The college lists federal Pell and SEOG grants, Cal Grants, the California College Promise Grant fee waiver, Chafee, EOPS/CARE and other state programs. Its Foundation scholarship page says one application is used to match students to more than 700 scholarships awarded in a typical year. Awards have their own rules and application windows. The California College Promise Grant can waive enrollment fees for eligible students, but it does not automatically pay for books, materials or every campus charge. Students should file early, check their student portal and ask Financial Aid to review residency and program eligibility. LBCC also has a separate Long Beach College Promise program; the existing guide to that program covers its local tuition support and transfer conditions.
English learners have more than one way to build language skills while preparing for college classes. LBCC’s ESL Office at TTC helps with admission applications, student IDs, orientation, placement surveys, course selection and enrollment. The course sequence offers free noncredit classes for everyday English, literacy and workplace language, along with credit ESL that can lead toward transfer-level English. Noncredit sections have no enrollment fee, although class materials may cost extra; they do not award grades, appear on a transcript or qualify for financial aid. Credit courses carry units and grades and are charged according to residency and the current schedule. The ESL Learning Center adds free tutoring, computer practice and help with reading, writing, speaking and pronunciation. A placement survey helps staff recommend a starting level. Ask whether the class is credit or noncredit, when it meets and what the next course in the sequence is before you build a semester plan. The ESL Office publishes its contact and support details.
LBCC’s program map covers eight broad academic schools, including arts and communication, business, health and science, trades, applied technology and culinary arts, and kinesiology. TTC emphasizes hands-on pathways such as automotive and advanced transportation technology, architecture and drafting, electrical work, metal fabrication, welding and horticulture. Its 33-unit Advanced Transportation Technology certificate includes automotive systems, electric and hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels and diagnostics; the department says a certificate can take as little as one semester depending on the schedule. LAC, meanwhile, houses many administrative and academic services, the Bobbie Smith Library, nursing and allied-health labs, student health, a bookstore, fitness and aquatic facilities, a planetarium and culinary spaces. Registered Nursing is based at LAC and is a separate, selective route to an associate degree and the state licensing exam. The campus is also changing: LBCC broke ground in October 2026 on a planned 431-bed student residence, now expected to be completed in fall 2028. It is a future project rather than available housing. Review the current program catalog and class schedule to see where each class actually meets.
The campuses are several miles apart, but students have a direct connection between them during the main fall and spring terms. LBCC’s free Viking Voyager shuttle leaves LAC from Lot H and stops at TTC on Pacific Coast Highway Monday through Thursday, roughly every 30 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a one-hour midday break. There is no Friday service or shuttle during winter and summer intersessions; riders need a current college or employee ID. LBCC students can also activate Metro GoPass access for included bus and rail services. Campus parking requires a permit, and the college’s current construction notices warn that lots and pedestrian routes may change. Use the live maps to locate a building, parking option or shuttle stop before leaving home.
For a first visit, decide whether your immediate goal is a short certificate, an associate degree, university transfer or English development, then ask an adviser which campus offers the required classes and what prerequisites apply. The Liberal Arts Campus profile describes student services and academic facilities at 4901 E Carson Street; the TTC profile covers technical study, ESL and community learning at 1305 E Pacific Coast Highway. Before traveling, check the campus map and current parking notice. To estimate your aid package, use the Financial Aid page and submit the appropriate application; for the current list of awards, consult the scholarships and grants page.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus
4901 E Carson St, Long Beach, CA 90808
The Liberal Arts Campus (LAC), at 4901 E Carson St, is LBCC’s original and broadest academic site. The college moved here in 1935 after its first classrooms operated at Woodrow Wilson High School and, following the 1933 earthquake, in tents at Recreation Park. Today the campus serves students pursui
LBCC’s original campus brings admissions, advising, financial aid, libraries, nursing and health labs, arts, science and student recreation together at 4901 E Carson Street.
Long Beach City College — Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus
1305 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90806
The Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus (TTC) sits at 1305 E Pacific Coast Highway. LBCC established the site in 1949 at the former Hamilton Junior High School; it was known as Pacific Coast Campus before the college adopted the TTC name in 2024 to reflect its mix of technical instruct
LBCC’s TTC site combines hands-on career programs in trades and transportation technology with the ESL office, free community learning, a library and student support.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus ↗
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Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Liberal Arts Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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ESL Office ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Long Beach City College — Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Long Beach City College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.