Cal Poly vs Cal Poly Humboldt

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) are two distinct universities within the California State University system, each offering unique educational experiences. Cal Poly SLO, located on the Central Coast, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while Cal Poly Humboldt, nestled in the redwood forests of Northern California, offers a more intimate learning environment. Both universities excel in preparing students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, but they also offer a wide range of programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more about the differences in acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, and find the university that best aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo logo

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Overview

Location San Luis Obispo, California Arcata, California
Campus setting Suburb: Small Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 74.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 33.0% 91.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 54,570 7,013
Total number of admissions given out 18,008 6,414
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,884 629
Yield rate 27.1% 9.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,680

Out of state: $47,590
In state: $25,668

Out of state: $37,548
Average net price $20,708 $13,904
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,642

Meal plan: $6,138
Room/dormitory: $6,638

Meal plan: $5,600
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

55.0%
Average amount $5,988
75.0%
Average amount $9,716
Students receiving federal student loan 24.0%
Average amount $5,023
36.0%
Average amount $4,831
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $22,714
1.0%
Average amount $12,255

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 21,128
Men 51.2% Women 48.8%
5,354
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
Graduate students 1,103
Men 50.4% Women 49.6%
554
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 20.6% 7.0%
International students 2.3% 1.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 8,147 2,069
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Oregon Texas California Oregon Washington Colorado Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Architecture
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 85.4% 47.5%
Dropout rate 12.5% 42.0%
Transferred out 1.2% 7.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,197
  • Year 2: $120,462
  • Year 3: $143,849
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,015
  • Year 2: $101,964
  • Year 3: $116,606
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,493
  • Year 2: $93,964
  • Year 3: $106,798
Fire Protection (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $103,907
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,656
  • Year 2: $82,780
  • Year 3: $96,152
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,643
  • Year 2: $73,562
  • Year 3: $90,242
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,873
  • Year 2: $78,971
  • Year 3: $90,194
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,220
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $89,378
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,920
  • Year 2: $70,886
  • Year 3: $87,984
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,454
  • Year 2: $79,647
  • Year 3: $87,345
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,497
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $69,150
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,856
  • Year 2: $48,265
  • Year 3: $60,145
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $58,243
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,405
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,583
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,805
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,240
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,362
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,717
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,892
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $42,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,215
  • Year 2: $36,294
  • Year 3: $41,528
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,882
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $39,496
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,867
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $37,639

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.
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