California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,742

2023 Average Net Price

$16,888

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

29.8%

63,736 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

22,485

94.8% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

85.2%

4,465 Graduates

About

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a higher education institution located in San Luis Obispo County, CA. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo were General Business Administration & Management (689 degrees awarded), Mechanical Engineering (278 degrees), and Computer Science (202 degrees).

In 2023, 5,493 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. 48.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 51.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,038 degrees), 2.88 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,054 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $5,742, which is $−18,833 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 2,765 total borrowers.

Photo by Rob Bulmahn

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $5,742, which is $18,833 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,888.

In 2023, 52% of undergraduate students attending California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 23% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,742

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was $5,742. The cost of tuition at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $−18,833 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

This chart compares the tuition costs of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$16,888

2023 Value

12%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,888. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo grew by 12%.

This chart compares the average net price of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (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

$16,449

Room and Board

$906

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was of $16,449 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 0.716% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $906. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 0.33% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

52%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

23%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

52% of undergraduate students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 4% with respect to 2022, when 50% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (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 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 2765 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.

Admissions

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received 63,736 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 8.44% annual growth. Out of those 63,736 applicants, 18,964 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 29.8% acceptance rate.

There were 22,485 students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2023. 80% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo has an overall enrollment yield of 27.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

29.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

18,964

Accepted Out of 63,736

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was 29.8% (18,964 admissions from 63,736 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 30.4%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 8.44%, while admissions grew by 6.03%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

80%

Submission Percentage (2020)

3,831

Scores Submitted (2020)

80% of enrolled first-time students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo had a total enrollment of 22,485 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 21,324 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,161. This means that 94.8% of students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49.7% White, 22.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 0.685% Black or African American, 0.254% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.12% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.6%), followed by White Male (24.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (11.3%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.1%), followed by White Male (23.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (11.4%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

94.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 22,485 students. The full-time enrollment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 21,324 and the part-time enrollment is 1,161. This means that 94.8% of students enrolled at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are enrolled full-time compared with 68.2% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

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 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (74%), California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
11,179 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
5,156 enrolled students
Asian
3,202 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 49.7% White, 22.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.8% Two or More Races, 0.685% Black or African American, 0.254% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.12% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 50.1% White, 17.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.4% 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, 695 students (3.09%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 143 fewer women than men received degrees from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is white (3,038 degrees awarded). There were 2.88 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,054 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is General Business Administration & Management (689 degrees awarded), followed by Mechanical Engineering (278 degrees) and Computer Science (202 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Architecture and Related Services (212 degrees awarded), Agriculture (536 degrees), and Engineering (1,304 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are Software developers (458,518 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (358,638 people), Other managers (357,701 people), Civil engineers (300,440 people), and Mechanical engineers (214,353 people).

The most specialized majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2023 are Architecture and Related Services (212 degrees awarded), Agriculture (536 degrees), Engineering (1,304 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (192 degrees), and Communication Technologies (75 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are Architecture and Related Services (212 degrees awarded), Agriculture (536 degrees), Engineering (1,304 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (192 degrees), and Communication Technologies (75 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are Computer Systems Design (558,937 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (465,294 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (390,419 people), Construction (314,198 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (291,616 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
689 degrees awarded
Mechanical Engineering
278 degrees awarded
Computer Science
202 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was General Business Administration & Management with 689 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,818

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,675

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 2,818 degrees were awarded to men at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, which is 1.05 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,675).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 405 degrees were awarded to men at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.3 times more than the 311 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 311 degrees were awarded to men at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.768 times less than the 405 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

57%

100% Completion Time

85%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 57% of students graduating from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 85% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 87% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities 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 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, 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, 4.79% of graduates (214 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
3,038 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,054 degrees awarded
Asian
698 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is white (3,038 degrees awarded). There were 2.88 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,054 degrees).

3.48% of degree recipients (191 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Male
1,532 degrees awarded
White Female
1,506 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Male
545 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is white male (1,532 degrees awarded). There were 1.02 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,506 degrees).

Operations

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo has an endowment valued at nearly $265M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 8.51M (3.21%) compared to the 5.72% average return (2.84M on 49.7M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2023, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo had a total salary expenditure of 646M. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo employs 315 Professors, 261 Lecturers and 191 Associate professors. Most academics at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are Male Professor (221), Male Lecturer (158), and Male Associate professor (108).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are: Business and Financial Operations, with 296 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 288 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 223 employees.

Endowment

$265M

2023 Endowment

9.15%

growth from 2022

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo has an endowment valued at about $265M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo grew 9.15% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $216M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$240M

2023 Salaries

8.88%

growth from 2022

In 2023, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo paid a median of $240M in salaries, which represents 37.1% of their overall expenditure ($646M) and a 8.88% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.31% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 4.21% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 36.1M (39.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$97.5M

Instructional Salaries

931

Number of Employees

In 2023, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo paid a total of $97.5M to 931 employees working as instructors, which represents 40.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $1.12M (2.97%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

315 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

296 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo were Professor with 315 employees, Lecturer with 261 employees, and Associate professor with 191 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo were Business and Financial Operations with 296 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 288 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 223 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Male Lecturer
Male Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was Male Professor with 221 employees, Male Lecturer with 158 employees, and Male Associate professor with 108 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

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