Cuesta College

www.cuesta.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,288

2023 Average Net Price

$15,899

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Enrolled Students

10,437

27.4% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

44.2%

187 Graduates

About

Cuesta College is a higher education institution located in San Luis Obispo County, CA. In 2023, the most popular 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentrations at Cuesta College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,060 degrees awarded), Electrician (16 degrees), and Child Care Provider (8 degrees).

In 2023, 4,452 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Cuesta College. 55% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,408 degrees), 1.74 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,383 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Cuesta College is $1,288, which is $−6,965 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,253).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Cuesta College was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 323 total borrowers.

Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Cuesta College is $1,288, which is $6,965 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,253).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $15,899.

In 2023, 47% of undergraduate students attending Cuesta College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 2% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$1,288

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Cuesta College was $1,288. The cost of tuition at Cuesta College is $−6,965 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($8,253).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Cuesta College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$15,899

2023 Value

9.6%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Cuesta College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,899. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Cuesta College grew by 9.6%.

This chart compares the average net price of Cuesta College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$17,784

Room and Board

$1,152

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Cuesta College was of $17,784 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 3.08% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,152. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.4% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Cuesta College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

47%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

47% of undergraduate students at Cuesta College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 14.5% with respect to 2022, when 55% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Cuesta College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Cuesta College was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 323 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Enrollment

Cuesta College had a total enrollment of 10,437 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Cuesta College is 2,856 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,581. This means that 27.4% of students enrolled at Cuesta College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Cuesta College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.5% White, 35.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.71% Two or More Races, 2.83% Asian, 1.98% Black or African American, 0.45% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.22% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Cuesta College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (26.3%), followed by White Female (25.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (17.7%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

27.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Cuesta College in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 10,437 students. The full-time enrollment at Cuesta College is 2,856 and the part-time enrollment is 7,581. This means that 27.4% of students enrolled at Cuesta College are enrolled full-time compared with 32.3% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Cuesta College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

69%

2023 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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Cuesta College was 69%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (64%), Cuesta College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Cuesta College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
5,061 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,668 enrolled students
Two or More Races
700 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Cuesta College is 48.5% White, 35.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.71% Two or More Races, 2.83% Asian, 1.98% Black or African American, 0.45% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.22% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 41.7% White, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.6% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 418 students (4%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 448 more women than men received degrees from Cuesta College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Cuesta College is white (2,408 degrees awarded). There were 1.74 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,383 degrees).

The most common 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentration at Cuesta College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,060 degrees awarded), followed by Electrician (16 degrees) and Child Care Provider (8 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Cuesta College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (78 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (1,752 degrees), and Human Sciences (152 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Accountants & auditors

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Accountants & auditors (1,010,128 people), Other managers (734,178 people), Financial managers (511,295 people), Chief executives & legislators (394,201 people), and Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (250,636 people).

The most specialized majors at Cuesta College in 2023 are Library Science (78 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (1,752 degrees), Human Sciences (152 degrees), Business (1,036 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (17 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Surgeons, Skincare specialists, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Library Science (78 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (1,752 degrees), Human Sciences (152 degrees), Business (1,036 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (17 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Elementary & secondary schools (422,083 people), Legal services (256,487 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (247,632 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (175,290 people), and Computer Systems Design (174,593 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Cuesta College.

Most Common (2023)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
484 degrees awarded
Humanistic Studies
208 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
167 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common associates degree concentration at Cuesta College was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 484 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Cuesta College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,002

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,450

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 2,002 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College, which is 0.817 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,450).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Cuesta College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 669 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.765 times less than the 875 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 875 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.31 times more than the 669 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

24%

100% Completion Time

44%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 24% of students graduating from Cuesta College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 44% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 48% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Cuesta College is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.535% of graduates (1 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,408 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,383 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
281 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Cuesta College is white (2,408 degrees awarded). There were 1.74 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,383 degrees).

1.53% of degree recipients (68 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,366 degrees awarded
White Male
1,042 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
763 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Cuesta College is white female (1,366 degrees awarded). There were 1.31 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,042 degrees).

Operations

Cuesta College has an endowment valued at nearly $37.7M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.14M (3.04%) compared to the 7.3% average return (423k on 5.8M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2023, Cuesta College had a total salary expenditure of 110M. Cuesta College employs 124 Instructors. Most academics at Cuesta College are Male Instructor (64), and Female Instructor (60).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cuesta College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 112 employees, Management, with 38 employees, and Service with 37 employees.

Endowment

$37.7M

2023 Endowment

15%

growth from 2022

Cuesta College has an endowment valued at about $37.7M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Cuesta College grew 15% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $31.9M higher than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Cuesta College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$3.41M - Federal
$9.54M - State
$2.5M - Local

As of 2023, Cuesta College received $3.41M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $9.54M from state grants and contracts, and $2.5M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$44.1M

2023 Salaries

5.66%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Cuesta College paid a median of $44.1M in salaries, which represents 40.2% of their overall expenditure ($110M) and a 5.66% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3% decline between 2021 and 2022, and a 3.92% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Associates Colleges is 16.8M (40.1% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$15.4M

Instructional Salaries

124

Number of Employees

In 2023, Cuesta College paid a total of $15.4M to 124 employees working as instructors, which represents 34.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $731k (4.21%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

124 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

112 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Cuesta College was Instructor with 124 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cuesta College were Office and Administrative Support with 112 employees, Management with 38 employees, and Service with 37 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Instructor
Female Instructor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Cuesta College was Male Instructor with 64 employees, and Female Instructor with 60 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Cuesta College.

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