The main campus is situated on the site of the former military base Fort Ord, spanning the cities of Seaside and Marina, approximately one mile inland from Monterey Bay along the Central Coast of California.

[8] CSUMB, in conjunction with Hartnell College, developed CS-in-3, a three-year computer science program funded in part by grants from the Foundation established by Matsui Nursery.

[9] A donation of 210 acres of prime agricultural land to the Hartnell College Foundation, valued at US$20 million was granted thereafter.

[10] In the fall of 2020, of 482 teaching faculty, 262 held doctorates or another terminal degree, and 96 were members of minority groups.

[19] CSUMB researchers work in 10 areas, including coral reef monitoring, land use, carbon modeling and disease transmission.

The Otters previously competed in the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1996–97 to 2003–04.

[23] The Otters of CSU Monterey Bay earned 1 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships in 2011.

Willet, Cypress, Manzanita, Asilomar, Yarrow, Avocet, Tortuga, and Sanderling Halls surround the main quad on campus.

In fall of 2015, the university opened three new residence halls, called Promontory, all of which offering apartment size dormitories.

The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library is certified LEED Silver and has been cited for a range of sustainable design strategies from daylighting and low-energy use to healthy carpets, water conservation, and high-recycled content materials.

Additionally, ventilation techniques operate through the floor instead of the ceiling, allowing cooler air to travel a lesser distance.