California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo admitted 31.3% of applicants university-wide (21,416 of 68,371).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 31.3% | 21,416 | 68,371 |
| In-state | 28.9% | 17,725 | 61,431 |
| Out-of-state | 53.6% | 3,486 | 6,508 |
| Men | 26.9% | 9,124 | 33,952 |
| Women | 35.7% | 12,292 | 34,419 |
Also offers Early Action (closes Nov 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 21,416 admitted students, 5,271 enrolled (24.6% yield).
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1300–1460
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 28–32
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.80–3.80
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $59,576/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $34,665 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $24,911 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $59,576/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $7,529 |
| $30k–48k | $7,253 |
| $48k–75k | $9,896 |
| $75k–110k | $15,786 |
| Over $110k | $27,772 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
Application requirements
US applicants
- Transcripts
- Current and planned class schedules
- Household annual income
- Social security number
- Music Supplementary Application
- Art and Design Portfolio
- Application fee
International applicants
- Transcripts
- Current and planned class schedules
- Household annual income
- Social security number
- Music Supplementary Application
- Art and Design Portfolio
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Essay prompts
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Cal State Apply member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $90,768
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 86.4%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 95.5%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $18,500
- At graduation
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- Forbes: #55
Deadlines
- 2026-11-01Early Action — Non-binding early round
- 2026-11-30Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Engineering (23%), Business & marketing (17%), Computer & information sciences (5%).
Student–faculty ratio: 20:1.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.