California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
About California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public research university in San Luis Obispo, California, with about 21,996 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 31.32% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $90,768 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is 68% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 86.40%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $90,768.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1262% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 85 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $13,596 | $16,665 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo really?
Key findings
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo charges about 2.5× the national public median tuition ($13,596).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is 68% above.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $13,596
Finding California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo charges about 2.5× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $13,596. That is about 2.5× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is 68% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 14% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $16,665.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $16,665 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $8,322 above the California median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $2,035 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$13,596
Out-of-state tuition
$34,665
Avg. net price
$16,665
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $7,529 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,253 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,896 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $15,786 |
| $110,001+ | $27,772 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $54,384. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General777
- Mechanical Engineering309
- Computer Science247
- Animal Sciences, General189
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology172
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 28% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Campus
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 93407
- NCES locale
- Rural remote
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 11% below the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
21,996
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 23,408
- Graduate
- 1,036
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$18,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 19.24%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $8,724 | $19,884 | $17,112 |
| 2014 | $8,918 | $20,078 | $18,047 |
| 2015 | $9,001 | $20,161 | $17,661 |
| 2016 | $9,075 | $20,235 | $18,845 |
| 2017 | $9,432 | $21,312 | $19,979 |
| 2018 | $9,816 | $21,696 | $20,592 |
| 2019 | $9,943 | $23,833 | $21,595 |
| 2020 | $10,071 | $25,971 | $20,677 |
| 2021 | $10,195 | $28,105 | $20,633 |
| 2022 | $10,319 | $28,229 | $18,766 |
| 2023 | $11,075 | $30,995 | $15,624 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reported total enrollment of about 21,996 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (47.6%), Hispanic or Latino (25.2%), and Asian (14.0%). About 19.24% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 24.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
96.5% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2024 is 21,996 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 23,408 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,036 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
95.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
61.19% 100% Completion Time
86.40% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 61.19% of students graduating from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 55% male / 45% female
- Mechanical Engineering: 81% male / 19% female
- Computer Science: 80% male / 20% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates earn a median of $90,768 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $90,768. Median federal loan debt: $18,500. Average net price used in cost models: $16,665.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates report median earnings of $90,768 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (85 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$265.3M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- California median 13× the median ($19.7M)
- Far West median 16× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 10× the median ($26.4M)
- California median 1.7× the median ($7,407)
- Far West median 1.7× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median near the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.0%
- California median 29.7 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 23.3 pp above median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 11.1 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,673
- California median 1.2× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.3× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,438
- California median 1.8× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 1.6× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo at a glance
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public institution in San Luis Obispo, CA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralMechanical EngineeringComputer Science
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian47.6%Hispanic or Latino25.2%Asian14.0%
Schools near California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Other campuses in San Luis Obispo, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo located?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, CA.
What is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 31.3% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 63,736 applicants and 18,964 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's tuition?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $13,596 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $16,665 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo cost?
Reported tuition is $13,596 and average net price is $16,665 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,792 annually.
What explains California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($16,665), completion (86.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($90,768). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports undergraduate enrollment of about 23,408 students, White (47.6%), Hispanic or Latino (25.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
About 24.8% of students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn?
Median earnings are $72,358 six years after entry and $90,768 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
The 150%-time completion rate is 86.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $18,500.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo public or private?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo an HBCU?
No. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.