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California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Admission at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is close to open (98.2%), which shifts the homework to outcomes: check the $47,626 median earnings below before the application.
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California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt anchors the college town of Arcata, CA, where the public campus and town largely share a footprint.
Its highest-earning path is Forestry, where graduates median $79,849 four years out. 42.9% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 5,612 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 76% of first-years come back for a second year.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt 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
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt received 14,019 applications and admitted 13,855 (98.8%), with 955 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's 98.2% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt compares
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 98.2% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,250 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $47,626 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
At $47,626, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($64,778). Look at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $8,250 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $20,850. For non-residents, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's $20,850 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 5,612 undergrads, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
48.5% graduate within six years. Roughly 51% don't — ask a California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Forestry | $79,849 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $78,225 |
| Computer Science | $74,620 |
| Economics | $61,175 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $60,005 |
| Social Work | $57,953 |
| Biology, General | $55,707 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $55,222 |
| Criminology | $55,174 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $53,371 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $50,915 |
| Chemistry | $50,579 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | $50,525 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $49,706 |
| Sociology | $48,143 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $47,003 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $46,245 |
| Psychology, General | $45,889 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $43,310 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $43,064 |
| Botany/Plant Biology | $42,743 |
| History | $42,119 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $42,049 |
| Political Science and Government | $41,994 |
| Anthropology | $41,464 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $41,105 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $40,566 |
| Journalism | $39,178 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $38,495 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $34,812 |
Median earnings for these 30 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $47,626 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 19 additional California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt doesn't look at test scores; its 98.2% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's acceptance rate?
98.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 13,855 admitted from 14,019 applicants.
How much does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt cost?
In-state tuition is $8,250; out-of-state students pay $20,850. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $47,626 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- Life Pacific University — 95.8% admitted
- Laguna College of Art and Design — 94.3% admitted
- La Sierra University — 91.5% admitted
- Design Institute of San Diego — 100% 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.