At Cal Poly Humboldt, bold hearts and open minds shape the future.
Founded in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt began as a small college for teachers. Today Humboldt has grown into a comprehensive university with rigorous science and liberal arts programs. Designated a polytechnic in 2022, Cal Poly Humboldt provides hands-on, impactful educational opportunities that lead to meaningful, measurable outcomes for the individual, for the state, and the world.
Cal Poly Humboldt is proud to have nearly 6,000 students of all backgrounds spread across 61 majors, 13 graduate programs, and 4 credential programs — all of whom contribute passion and creativity within their fields and set the stage for a future grounded in equity and sustainability. Hands-on learning, inspired teaching, ground-breaking research, and thought-provoking creative activity happen daily at Humboldt.
Finding a better future is a task for the bold and open, the down-to-earth and visionary. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to cultivate these qualities in leaders, innovators, and scholars in every field.
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt is a public, state school in a rural setting in Arcata, California. Cal Poly Humboldt was founded in 1913 and the school presently has around 5,739 students per year, which includes 5,201 undergrad students. Cal Poly Humboldt provides housing for up to 2,100 students. The majority of students live on campus but first-year students are not required to live in the dorms. On the weekends, about 26.71% of students stay on-campus and participate in campus events and social life.
📆 Mark your calendar! The deadline to apply regular decision to Cal Poly Humboldt for Fall 2023 is April 30.
Student Involvement at Cal Poly Humboldt
Are you interested in music or performing? At Cal Poly Humboldt you can join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.
Interested in journalism or communications? Cal Poly Humboldt students can write for the campus newspaperor be a producer for the student-run television channel.
Interested in joining a fraternity or sorority? Cal Poly Humboldt has both fraternities and sororities.
Planning to play sports? Cal Poly Humboldt has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Cal Poly Humboldt on the Student Life page.
2022 Cal Poly Humboldt Facts At-A-Glance | |
---|---|
Academic Calendar | Semester |
Overall Acceptance Rate | 91% |
Early Decision Acceptance Rate | ED not offered |
Early Action Acceptance Rate | EA not offered |
Average GPA | 3.3 |
Applicants Submitting SAT scores | 21% |
In-State Tuition | $5,742 |
Out-of-State | $17,362 |
Percent of Need Met | 68% |
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package | $13,026 |
Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.
Let's take a closer look at these areas to get a better idea of what Cal Poly Humboldt offers and if the college could be a good fit for you.
It is moderately difficult to get into Cal Poly Humboldt. The acceptance rate at Cal Poly Humboldt is 91%. Out of 7,025 applications received in 2022, 6,398 students were offered admission.
Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.
Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Cal Poly Humboldt, around 74% return for the next year. 48% of Cal Poly Humboldt undergrads graduate within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.
Job placement stats are a good resource for understanding the value of a degree from Cal Poly Humboldt by providing a look on how job placement has gone for other grads.
Check with Cal Poly Humboldt directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.
An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.
As of 2022, the total market value of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt's endowment was $36.3 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. The school spends $10,610 for each full-time student enrolled.
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 Humboldt meets 68% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Cal Poly Humboldt full-time are awarded $13,026 a year in financial aid, on average.
Students in the class of 2022 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $23,200 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.
The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022
Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA asap. 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 Humboldt.
Based on this information, does Cal Poly Humboldt seem like a good fit? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So ask yourself: Is Cal Poly Humboldt a good school for you?
If California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.
Choose one of the options below to learn more about Cal Poly Humboldt:
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Cal Poly Humboldt is located in the rural setting of Arcata, California.
If you want to see Cal Poly Humboldt for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take U.S. Highway 101 to Arcata, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Arcata-Eureka.
You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Cal Poly Humboldt and Arcata are like without leaving home.
See a full list of colleges in California and save your favorites to your college list.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Cal Poly Humboldt is Apr 30.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Cal Poly Humboldt is Nov 30.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
ACT Score
Estimated Chance
29 and Above
22 to 29
22 and Less
The median ACT score of an admitted student to Cal Poly Humboldt is 26. Students with an ACT score of 29 and above have a good chance of getting into Cal Poly Humboldt. Students with an ACT score that falls between 22 and 29 have an average chance of getting admitted, and students with an ACT score of 22 or below have a low chance of being offered admission.
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
SAT Score
Estimated Chance
1258 and Above
1023 to 1258
1023 and Less
The median SAT score for Cal Poly Humboldt students is 1123. Applicants with SAT scores of 1258 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Cal Poly Humboldt, while applicants with SAT scores between 1023 to 1258 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1023 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Tuition & Fees
$21,494
In State$33,114
Out-of-StateWondering what life at Cal Poly Humboldt is like? There are approximately 5,739 students enrolled at Cal Poly Humboldt, including 5,201 undergraduate students and 538 graduate students. 88% percent of students attend school full-time, 95% percent are from CA and 5% percent of students are from other states.
88%
Full Time12%
Part Time95%
In State5%
Out-of-StateData Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Total Enrollment
Campus Setting
Acceptance Rate
Tuition and Fees
In State
Out-of-State
Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline
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