California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is a public, state school in a suburban setting in San Luis Obispo, California. Cal Poly SLO was founded in 1901 and now enrolls around 22,287 students a year, including 21,447 undergrads. Cal Poly SLO provides housing for students. Most students live in off campus housing.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Cal Poly SLO! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of Cal Poly SLO's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Cal Poly SLO students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? Cal Poly SLO has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? Cal Poly SLO has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Cal Poly SLO on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at Cal Poly SLO on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! November 30, 2022 is the final deadline to submit an application for Fall. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should find out if they got admitted by April 1.

Is Cal Poly SLO a Good School?

Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how competitive a university is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Let's take a closer look at all of these areas to get a clearer sense of what Cal Poly SLO offers and if it could be the right college for you.

Cal Poly SLO Acceptance Rate 2021

It is moderately difficult to get into Cal Poly SLO. The acceptance rate at Cal Poly SLO is 38%. Out of 52,371 applications received in 2021, 20,127 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Cal Poly SLO

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

About 94% of students who start at Cal Poly SLO come back for their second year of college. Around 85% of students who started at Cal Poly SLO earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook Cal Poly SLO Graduates

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Cal Poly SLO

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. Cal Poly SLO meets 49% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Cal Poly SLO full-time are awarded $10,344 a year in financial aid, on average.

Students in the class of 2021 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $22,933 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! No one should ever pay to fill out the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Cal Poly SLO. Based on this information, how does Cal Poly SLO sound? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is Cal Poly SLO a good school for you?

If California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Exploring Schools?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Admissions

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Cal Poly SLO Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting admitted to some of the most selective schools in the U.S.

Where is California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Located?

Cal Poly SLO is located in the suburban setting of San Luis Obispo, California.

If you want to see Cal Poly SLO for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take U.S. Highway 101 to San Luis Obispo, or book a flight to the nearest airport, San Luis Obispo County Regional.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Cal Poly SLO and San Luis Obispo are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in California?

See a full list of colleges in California and save your favorites to your college list.