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California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo turned away roughly 70% of its 63,736 applicants in the Fall 2023 cycle — selective enough that the middle-50% ranges below deserve a careful read.
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California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo occupies suburban San Luis Obispo, CA — a public campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $154,784 four years out. Faculty pay averages $152,076 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 21,996 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 95.5% of first-years come back for a second year.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 31.3% who got into California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received 63,736 applications and admitted 18,964 (29.8%), with 5,278 enrolling.
How California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo compares
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 31.3% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,596 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $90,768 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo student earns $90,768 — 40% above the California median of $64,778 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo prices by residency: $13,596 in-state versus $34,665 out-of-state — a $21,069 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
21,996 undergraduates make California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
86.4% of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo students finish a bachelor's within six years — 31.5 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $13,596 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $154,784 |
| Computer Engineering | $148,950 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $125,240 |
| Construction Management | $118,331 |
| Industrial Engineering | $112,797 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $110,902 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $109,232 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $107,498 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $106,750 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $102,702 |
| Statistics | $101,353 |
| Civil Engineering | $101,072 |
| Materials Engineering | $100,599 |
| Economics | $98,927 |
| Philosophy | $98,592 |
| Physics | $96,805 |
| Architectural Engineering | $92,767 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $92,603 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $89,195 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $88,396 |
| Agriculture, General | $84,412 |
| Mathematics | $83,187 |
| Plant Sciences | $82,487 |
| Political Science and Government | $81,843 |
| Agricultural Public Services | $80,965 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $80,820 |
| Graphic Communications | $79,432 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $78,097 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | $78,080 |
| Forestry | $77,419 |
| Architecture | $76,613 |
| Food Science and Technology | $75,466 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $75,223 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $75,181 |
| Journalism | $70,829 |
| Sociology | $69,883 |
| Biology, General | $69,854 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $69,227 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $68,965 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $68,930 |
| Landscape Architecture | $68,795 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $68,171 |
| History | $66,518 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $64,579 |
| Chemistry | $63,882 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $63,413 |
| Psychology, General | $60,466 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $59,721 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $57,360 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $55,543 |
| Animal Sciences | $54,805 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $36,697 |
Median earnings for these 52 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $90,768 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 25 additional California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo doesn't look at test scores; its 31.3% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's acceptance rate?
29.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 18,964 admitted from 63,736 applicants.
How much does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo cost?
In-state tuition is $13,596; out-of-state students pay $34,665. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $90,768 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- University of California-Irvine — 28.6% admitted
- University of California-San Diego — 26.7% admitted
- University of California-Santa Barbara — 33% admitted
- California Institute of the Arts — 32.3% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.