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Colleges / California Polytechnic University, Humboldt

California Polytechnic University, Humboldt

Arcata, CA 4-Year Public
Acceptance Rate91%
Acceptance Rate91%

About Cal Poly Humboldt

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 Overview

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

Is Cal Poly Humboldt a Good School?


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.

Cal Poly Humboldt Acceptance Rate 2022

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 and Graduation Rates at Cal Poly Humboldt

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 Outlook Cal Poly Humboldt Graduates

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.

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt's Endowment

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.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Cal Poly Humboldt

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.


Still Researching Schools?

Choose one of the options below to learn more about Cal Poly Humboldt:

Admissions

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Cal Poly Humboldt Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting into some of the best colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is Cal Poly Humboldt?

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.

Considering Colleges in California?

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

College Info

1 Harpst Street Arcata, CA 95521-8299

Campus Setting: Rural

Cal Poly Humboldt Application Deadline

First-Year Applications are Due

Apr 30

Transfer Applications are Due

Nov 30

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

Cal Poly Humboldt ACT Scores

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ACT Range

22 - 29

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

ACT Score

Estimated Chance

29 and Above

Good

22 to 29

Avg

22 and Less

Low

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ACT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

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.

Cal Poly Humboldt SAT Scores

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Composite SAT Range

1023 - 1258

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Math SAT Range

500 - 608

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Reading SAT Range

520 - 653

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

SAT Score

Estimated Chance

1258 and Above

Good

1023 to 1258

Avg

1023 and Less

Low

SAT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

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.

Cal Poly Humboldt Tuition & Fees

Tuition & Fees

$21,494

In State

$33,114

Out-of-State
Cost Breakdown
In State
Out-of-State
State Tuition
$5,742
$17,362
Fees
$2,122
$2,122
Housing
$12,540
$12,540
Books
$1,090
$1,090

Student Life

Wondering 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 Time

12%

Part Time

95%

In State

5%

Out-of-State

Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved

Quick Facts

Total Enrollment

5,739

Campus Setting

Rural

Acceptance Rate

91%

Tuition and Fees

In State

$7,864

Out-of-State

$19,484

Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline

Apr 30
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