California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · Small suburb · Cal Poly
Public institution in San Luis Obispo, CA · 21,521 undergraduates · 30% acceptance rate · $90,768 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 3%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- Top 5%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- Top 5%Undergraduates
- Top 7%Graduation rate (4-year)
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $15,624727th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $11,075694th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $30,9951,293rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $29,918935th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $18,500490th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $90,76865th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $72,35898th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 85.2%137th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 95.2%129th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 29.8%109th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 21,52199th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 18.0:11,713th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 18.3%1,808th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 159 mi (LAX)
On 7 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 75 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $109,392 | $120,462 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $95,034 | $93,964 |
| Construction Engineering TechnologiesEngineering Technology | bachelors | $83,255 | $82,780 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $78,814 | $79,647 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $76,711 | $74,038 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $76,016 | $76,460 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,667 | $72,645 |
| Industrial EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,083 | $73,562 |
| Manufacturing EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $71,957 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $71,015 | $73,635 |
| Materials EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $71,015 | $68,219 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $67,660 | $63,005 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1901source
- Motto: "Discere Faciendo"source
- Athletic nickname: "Mustangs"source
- Mustang Memorial Field seats about 11,075source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Campus size: about 9,678 acressource
- Formerly known as "California Polytechnic School (1901–1947), California Polytechnic State College" (1947–1972)source
- Athletic conference: FCSsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
- Fight song: ""Ride High, You Mustangs""source
- Notable alum: "Weird Al" Yankovicsource
- Notable alum: Victor J. Gloversource
- Notable alum: Pedro Armendárizsource
- Notable alum: Chuck Liddellsource
- Notable alum: Robert L. Gibsonsource
Athletics — 12 sports
NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $8,130,763 (M $4,744,871 · W $3,385,892)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitecalpoly.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 110422)
- Compare colleges in CARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in CaliforniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs California State University-Los AngelesHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.