California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Type	4 year, Public
Campus locale	Suburb: Small
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate
Calendar system	Quarter

Student body size	Large
Dormitory capacity	8,147
Student to faculty ratio	21 to 1
Acceptance rate	33%
Students retention rate	95%
On-time graduation rate	85%

Located in San Luis Obispo, California, Cal Poly is a public, institution that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. Cal Poly operates on a quarter-based calendar system, dividing the academic year into four terms.

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

Cal Poly boasts an impressive student retention rate of 95% , indicating that the majority of students choose to continue their education at the institution. This number surpasses both the state and national averages of 85% and 72%, respectively.

Accredited by: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
The institution provides on-campus housing
Website

Acceptance Rate

Fall 2021 admitted students

33%

In-State Tuition & Fees

$10,195

Cost of attendance at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2022 for students from California.

See how the college's in-state sticker price compares to 4 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$6,749
National average	$8,573

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees

$28,105

Cost of attendance at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2022 for the out-of-state and international students

See how the college's out-of-state sticker price compares to 4 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$20,840
National average	$18,862

Average Grant & Scholarships

In 2022, 55 of freshman students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received on average $5,988 in grant and scholarships from the college, the state and/or the federal government. Below is detail stats of the aid provided to full-time, freshman students.

$5,988

	Students Receiving Aid		Average Amount	Total Amount
Pell Grant	646	14%	$5,108	$3,300,057
Other Federal Grant	648	14%	$5,593	$3,624,230
State Grant/Scholarships	1,285	27%	$2,709	$3,481,079
Institutional Grant/Scholarships	2,085	44%	$4,068	$8,482,237
Total Grant & Scholarships	2,603	55%	$5,988	$15,587,546

Graduation Rate

The following chart shows the graduation rate of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo students who enrolled in 2015 and after. The stat covers all undergraduates registered as full-time students to study a 4-year bachelor's degree program for the first time.

The breakdown shows the graduation rate by race/ethnicity of US students. All international students are represented under one group.

As of August 31, 2021, the average graduation rate of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo students is 85.4%. Female students graduated at a rate of 88.6%, whereas male students graduated at a rate of 82.2%.

85.4%

asian 83.6% 552 students
African American 70.0% 28 students
white 87.6% 2,452 students
unknown 81.6% 208 students
hawaiian 100.0% 4 students
hispanic 81.3% 586 students
International Students 83.9% 73 students
Mixed Race 84.0% 299 students

Sport Conferences

Football Big Sky Conference
Baseball Big West Conference
Basketball Big West Conference
Track and Cross Country Big West Conference

Athletic Associations

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Service Offerings

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo provides the following additional services to its students

On-campus day care for students' children
Remedial services
Placement services for graduates
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for students

Educational Offerings

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo offers educational programs in the following categories. Check the programs section to learn more about specific programs that you are interested in.

Academic

Special Learning Opportunities

Study abroad
Teacher certification
ROTC - Army

Veteran Services

Member of Service-members Opportunity Colleges
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military service-members, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization
Credit for military training

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.