California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
- Public
- Suburb
- 21,996 undergrads
- Admit rate
- 31%Source: College Scorecard
- Average net price
- $18,832per year, after grantsSource: College Scorecard
- Graduation rate
- 86%within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $96,30410 years after startingSource: College Scorecard
What's special
Cal Poly requires applicants to declare a major when submitting their application, with applicants competing against others within the same major.
Source: Selection Criteria | Cal Poly
All undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor's degree at Cal Poly are required to complete a senior project as their capstone experience.
Source: Guidelines for Senior Projects - Social Sciences Department - Cal Poly
Getting in
- Admit rate
- 31%About 3 in 10 applicants get in.Source: College Scorecard
- Test policy
- Test-blindScores are not considered, even if you send them.Source: College Scorecard
- SAT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
- ACT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
From California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's own report
These numbers come from the school's Common Data Set for 2025–26, a standard report colleges publish about their applicants and first-year students. Open the report.
89% had a 3.75 or higher. The average was 4.03. Schools count GPA differently (weighted or not), so compare ranges loosely.
- Admit rate in this report
- 30%21,367 admitted of 71,309 first-year applicants
- SAT, middle 50%
- 1240–142018% of first-years sent SAT scores
- ACT, middle 50%
- 28–335% of first-years sent ACT scores
- Top 10% of their class
- 46%79% were in the top quarter.
What the admissions office says it weighs
Very important
- How challenging your classes were
- GPA
Considered
- Activities
- A talent or ability
- Being first in your family to go to college
- Where you live
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not considered
- Class rank
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Character and personal qualities
- Family who went there (legacy)
- Living in the state
- Religious affiliation
- Showing interest in the school
Where you'd stand
Enter your numbers to see where they'd fall among California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's first-year students. This isn't a prediction: it shows how you compare with students who enrolled, using the sources linked below.
Leave out anything you don't have. Your numbers stay in this browser and fill in on other school pages. See my list
Sources: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2025–26. Test ranges describe enrolled students who sent scores.
What it really costs
Most families pay less than the sticker price. Net price is what's left after grants and scholarships.
- Average net price
- $18,832full-time first-years who got grant aidSource: College Scorecard
- Total cost of attendance
- $36,515sticker price incl. housing, per yearSource: College Scorecard
- Tuition, in-state
- $15,039Source: College Scorecard
- Tuition, out-of-state
- $37,005Source: College Scorecard
After you enroll
- Graduation rate
- 86%first-time, full-time students finishing within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Came back for year two
- 96%full-time first-year studentsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $96,30410 years after starting, for students who got federal aidSource: College Scorecard
- Median debt at graduation
- $16,500federal loans, students who finishedSource: College Scorecard
Students
- Undergraduates
- 21,996Source: College Scorecard
- Receive Pell grants
- 23%a sign of economic diversitySource: College Scorecard
- First-generation students
- 25%parents didn't go beyond high schoolSource: College Scorecard
Similar schools
Similar, and easier to get into
- University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA — admits 76%
- University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA — admits 66%
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA — admits 75%
- San Jose State University San Jose, CA — admits 85%
Also worth a look
- University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA — admits 33%
- University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA — admits 29%
- University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA — admits 27%
- University of California-Davis Davis, CA — admits 42%
- San Diego State University San Diego, CA — admits 36%
- Clemson University Clemson, SC — admits 38%
Where these numbers come from
Every number on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard page for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, which draws on what the school reports to the federal government and on federal student aid and tax records. We last pulled the data on November 4, 2026. Different measures cover different years; here's how each one works.
Spot something wrong? Report a data error.