California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

San Luis Obispo, CA

$5,742

Avg in-state tuition

$17,622

Avg out-of-state tuition

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About California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo

School Type: Public

Status: Non-profit

Accreditation: Regional

Religious Affiliation: N/A While the student experience is largely unaffected at most schools with religious affiliations, some schools place more of an emphasis on religion. Learn how religious affiliations may impact students' experience.

California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo is a large public university located on a suburban campus in San Luis Obispo, California. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 21,456, and admissions are very selective, with an acceptance rate of 38%. The university offers 78 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 83%, and a student-faculty ratio of 21:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $5,742, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $17,622.

Rankings

Learn more about how this school compares to other schools with rankings by BestColleges.

#6 Ranked in Colleges With the Best Return on Investment in 2023
#10 Ranked in Best Industrial Engineering Programs

Admissions Breakdown

Acceptance Rate Insight

This school has a competitive acceptance rate.

This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.

38% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

Retention Rate Insight

Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools.

This typically means students are happy with their school selection and wish to continue their education there.
Learn more about how we determine school awards

94% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.

Graduation Rate Insight

Students graduate from this school at a higher rate than other schools.

This is typically an indication of a school's quality and means most students finish their degree in a timely manner.
Learn more about how we determine school awards

83% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scores Required

High school transcript Required

High school rank Not required or recommended

Letter of recommendation Not required or recommended

High school GPA Required

Open admission No

Completion of college prep program Required

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) Not required or recommended

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollment Yes

Credit for qualified life experience* Yes

Advance placement (AP) credits Yes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

Students who attend this school typically have higher standardized test scores than students at other schools.

While test scores can be an important aspect of college applications, schools determine admission based on several factors, and these test scores are only a suggested range.

Learn more about how we determine school awards

ACT 25th-75th Percentile 26-32

SAT 25th-75th Percentile 1220-1410

Resource

Undergraduate Application Guide

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

This school has a student body of more than 15,000 students.

Learn more about how we determine school awards

22k

Students enrolled

100%

Online student enrollment

21:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

Online

On-campus

Hybrid

The program is a combination of on-campus and online learning and varies per program.

International

Online classes are available for students around the world.

Demographics

White

54%

Hispanic

18%

Asian

13%

Two or more races

Unknown

Non-U.S. Citizen

Black

American Indian/Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Female student population

49%

Socio-economic diversity

15% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

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San Diego, CA · Public · Non-profit

#1 Ranked in 2022 Best Online Colleges in California

Costs to Consider	Price
Books and supplies	$888
On-campus room and board	$15,694
On-campus other expenses	$2,190
Off-campus (not with family) room and board	$15,694
Off-campus (not with family) other expenses	$2,190
Off-campus (with family) other expenses	$2,190

Total cost by category	In-state	Out-of-state
On-campus	$24,514	$36,394
Off-campus without family	$24,514	$36,394
Off-campus with family	$8,820	$20,700

#	Programs	BA	MA	Doc
1	Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences
	Agriculture, General
	Dairy Science
	Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
	Soil Science and Agronomy, General
	Food Science
	Agronomy and Crop Science
	Animal Sciences, General
	Agricultural Communication/Journalism
	Ornamental Horticulture
	Viticulture and Enology
	Agricultural Mechanization, General
2	Architecture And Related Services
	Architecture (BArch, BA/BS, MArch, MA/MS, PhD)
	City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
	Landscape Architecture (BS, BSLA, BLA, MSLA, MLA, PhD)
3	Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies
	Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies, Other
4	Biological And Biomedical Sciences
	Biochemistry
	Microbiology, General
	Biology/Biological Sciences, General
5	Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
	Business Administration and Management, General
	Construction Management
	Taxation
	Management Science, General
	Accounting
6	Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
	Journalism
	Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
7	Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
	Graphic Communications, General
8	Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
	Computer Science
9	Education
	Early Childhood Education and Teaching
	Agricultural Teacher Education
	College Student Counseling and Personnel Services
	Special Education and Teaching, General
	Education, General
10	Engineering Technologies/Technicians
	Packaging Science
	Industrial Technology/Technician
11	Engineering
	Materials Engineering
	Manufacturing Engineering
	Mechanical Engineering
	Industrial Engineering
	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
	Engineering Science
	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
	Computer Software Engineering
	Computer Engineering, General
	Civil Engineering, Other
	Engineering, General
	Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
	Civil Engineering, General
	Biomedical/Medical Engineering
	Architectural Engineering
	Agricultural/Biological Engineering and Bioengineering
12	English Language And Literature/Letters
	English Language and Literature, General
13	Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
	Human Development and Family Studies, General
14	Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
	Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
15	History
	History, General
16	Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
	Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other
17	Mathematics And Statistics
	Statistics, General
	Mathematics, General
18	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
	Nutrition Sciences
	Marine Sciences
19	Natural Resources And Conservation
	Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other
	Forestry, General
20	Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
	Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
	Health and Physical Education, General
21	Philosophy And Religious Studies
	Philosophy
22	Physical Sciences
	Chemistry, General
	Physics, General
	Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
	Polymer Chemistry
23	Psychology
	Psychology, General
24	Public Administration And Social Service Professions
	Public Policy Analysis
25	Security And Protective Services
	Fire Protection, Other
26	Social Sciences
	Economics, General
	Political Science and Government, General
	Sociology
	Social Sciences, Other
	Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
27	Visual And Performing Arts
	Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
	Fine/Studio Arts, General
	Music, General

California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

About California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo

Rankings

Admissions Breakdown

Acceptance Rate Insight This school has a competitive acceptance rate. This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.

This school has a competitive acceptance rate.

Retention Rate Insight Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools. This typically means students are happy with their school selection and wish to continue their education there. Learn more about how we determine school awards

Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools.

Graduation Rate Insight Students graduate from this school at a higher rate than other schools. This is typically an indication of a school's quality and means most students finish their degree in a timely manner. Learn more about how we determine school awards

Students graduate from this school at a higher rate than other schools.

Application Considerations

Transfer Credit Policy

SAT & ACT

Students who attend this school typically have higher standardized test scores than students at other schools.

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

This school has a student body of more than 15,000 students.

Ways Students Can Learn

Demographics

Socio-economic diversity

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Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Online Programs

Total Online Enrollment

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Total Undergraduate Cost

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Average Aid Awarded

Financial Outlook

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FCS

Participation

Degrees Awarded by Program

Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences

Architecture And Related Services

Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies

Biological And Biomedical Sciences

Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services

Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs

Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services

Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services

Education

Engineering Technologies/Technicians

Engineering

English Language And Literature/Letters

Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences

Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics

History

Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities

Mathematics And Statistics

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Natural Resources And Conservation

Acceptance Rate Insight

This school has a competitive acceptance rate.

This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.

Retention Rate Insight

Students remain enrolled in this school at a higher rate than other schools.

This typically means students are happy with their school selection and wish to continue their education there.
Learn more about how we determine school awards

Graduation Rate Insight

Students graduate from this school at a higher rate than other schools.

This is typically an indication of a school's quality and means most students finish their degree in a timely manner.
Learn more about how we determine school awards