California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo
- 4 Year
- SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
CollegeGrad School
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo
- grade A minusOverall Grade
- 4 Year
- SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
- Rating 3.77 out of 5 3,963 reviews
Report Card
- Academicsgrade A minus
- Valuegrade A
- Diversitygrade A minus
- Campusgrade B minus
- Athleticsgrade B+
- Party Scenegrade A
- Professorsgrade B minus
- Locationgrade A minus
- Dormsgrade B minus
- Campus Foodgrade C minus
- Student Lifegrade A
- Safetygrade B
About
- Branch of
- The California State University
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletic Conference
Big Sky Conference
From California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo
Since 1901, Cal Poly has been combining rigorous academics and real-world applications through hands-on learning. Encouraging thousands of our students toward successful careers ensures they play an active role in helping solve some of California’s – and the world’s – most complex challenges.
Cal Poly’s six academic colleges offer over 150 undergraduate majors and minors and over 50 graduate programs. By animating our curriculum, no matter the field of study, the best way to build new knowledge is to try it out for yourself. Learn By Doing ensures that when you graduate, you and your employers will agree that you are prepared.
Upcoming Events
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Admissions
Application Deadline
November 30
Acceptance Rate
33%
SAT Range
1240-1440
ACT Range
26-32
Application Fee
$70
SAT/ACT
Neither required nor recommended
High School GPA
Required
Accepts Common App
No
Will You Get In?
Will You Get Into Cal Poly?
Test Scores and High School GPA for California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo See Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$20,708 / year
National
$15,523Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Average Total Aid Awarded
$5,988 / year
National
$7,535Students Receiving Financial Aid
65%
Scholarship
Academics
Professors
grade B minus
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
20:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
86%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. 225 responses26%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want. 259 responses46%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage. 258 responsesMajors
Most Popular Majors
- Business766 Graduates
- Mechanical Engineering293 Graduates
- Biology204 Graduates
- Animal Sciences and Husbandry187 Graduates
- Computer Science178 Graduates
- Civil Engineering172 Graduates
- Psychology155 Graduates
- Architecture154 Graduates
- Liberal Arts and Humanities143 Graduates
- Electrical Engineering141 Graduates
U.S. News & World Report ranked Cal Poly #1 Top Public Schools
Cal Poly's Learn by Doing process has kept it ranked as the top public, master's level university in the West for 31 years straight! The hands-on approach to learning allows students to explore their interests and begin building their careers from day one. With 96% of students employed in their major-related field, and 91% working within 9 months of graduating, Cal Poly is your gateway to success!
Online
Programs Offered Entirely Online
0
Offers Online Courses
Yes
Online Certificate Programs
0
Online Associates Programs
0
Online Bachelor's Programs
0
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
19,925 Undergrads
Part-Time Undergrads
1,168
Undergrads Over 25
3%
Pell Grant
14%
Varsity Athletes
3%
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
No data available
Poll
64%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join. 314 responsesPoll
66%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life. 377 responsesAfter College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$66,900 / year
National
$33,028Graduation Rate
85%
National
49%Employed 2 Years After Graduation
95%
National
83%90%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation. 147 responsesCalifornia Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo Reviews
Rating 3.77 out of 5 3,963 reviews
My experience at Cal Poly was overall amazing! My major was liberal studies, which was an amazing program. I feel more prepared and excited than ever to go into education, especially with the variety of classes Cal Poly has within each of their majors. Cal Poly also has a HUGE amount of clubs that were incredibly fun and engaging, especially in my first couple of years before the pandemic! Although I had an amazing time, there are absolutely some systemic issues in Cal Poly; racism and microaggressions, misogyny and homophobia (especially experienced by women in STEM majors), food quality, underfunding of campus mental health support, etc. Although in the past five years I have seen campus legislation attempt to address some of these problems, cal poly has a very far way to go to create fully accessible and safe learning environments for all of their students to thrive. However, all of this being said, Cal Poly is a spectacular school and I am proud to be a mustang!
Cal Poly SLO has an excellent academic program. This college strives for "Learn By Doing" and is seen within every major. Students are expected to learn hands-on in their field of choice. For example, for animal science majors there are fields of land where horses, cows, pigs, and more live. This is for the purpose of undergrads to gain experience. Cal Poly has well has a preschool located in front of the library to support students who have an interest in education. Child development majors participate in this preschool by being an observer and staff to the children. The preschool not only is able to make the "Learn By Doing" slogan true but as well brings in citizens to the school. Thus creating a closer community. The location of Cal Poly is beautiful as well. The school is surrounded by mountains with the ocean only being 10 minutes away! Downtown can be reached within walking distance from Cal Poly. Overall, great school.
Please attend Cal Poly! You will not regret it! I have learned so much and have made so any lifelong friendships! Scout coffee has been added on campus ad they have great pastries. Cal Poly offered a variety of food such as Jamba Juice, Starbucks and, Shake-smart. The student life is awesome with great teachers and students. Cal Poly Slo is close to the beach and walking distance to many eatery spots in San Luis Obispo. The admissions office is awesome and there are many ways to get involved in campus. Opportunities vary from clubs to part time jobs to a variety of organizations. Cal Poly uses its learn by doin Otto every day while study your major of choice. Fro day one students are able to learn their major through hands on learning. For example, Journalism students can visit news stations, and Agriculture majors are able to help with the live stock on campus. I can't express this enough but Cal Poly is a future hoe for any student looking to attend college! Go Mustangs! Go Mustangs!