Another factor, you’ve got kids who enroll because they don’t know what else to do and the CSU’s can be affordable enough that parents and counselors shuttle them through to commuter schools even if the dedication/interest isn’t there. Without any internal drive, they can get pretty lost on the big campuses and eventually drop out.
The CSU’s will also take kids who have not had the most rigorous backgrounds often giving conditional admission and requiring them to take summer math classes so they meet basic requirements. Kids can be slowed down by having to take pre-reqs they should have taking in high school. The readiness factor does play it’s part.
For your son, this means a lot of kids he met in English 101 won’t be at his graduation ceremony but once he get’s into his major, there will be more consistency.
Graduation rate is certainly something to look at during your search but if you’ve got a dedicated student with a strong academic record, you really shouldn’t discount the first 3 colleges you listed (I know nothing about CSU LA so can’t comment there.) We’re considering several CSU’s for our youngest without any qualms. Look into the honors programs if your child qualifies. Each honors programs varies but some perks can be priority enrollment, specialty housing, required study abroad and more. We know plenty of quality kids who are attending and not having a difficult time staying on the 4-year graduation track. Yes, we know plenty that have dropped too but in most cases, we could have guessed that outcome before they stepped foot on campus whether it was financial instability or academic disinterest.