Cal Poly: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, California · Public · Selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-blind
- 71,309
- Applicants
- 21,367
- Admitted30%
- 5,456
- Enrolled
- 26%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Selective30% admittedRanked #1 in Regional Universities West; Business Programs #129 (tie), Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #6 (tie), Computer Science #88 (tie), Economics #185 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
Is Cal Poly a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Cal Poly against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Cal Poly is a public university in San Luis Obispo, California that admits about 30% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $16,665 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Mechanical Engineering and Architectural Sciences and Technology, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 87% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Cal Poly is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Cal Poly admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 30%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1330. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $16,665 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Cal Poly?
64% of enrolled students at Cal Poly had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.03, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Compare Cal Poly with the other schools on your list
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What does Cal Poly weight in admissions?
Cal Poly reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Considered
6- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- First generation status
- Geographical residence
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
10- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Character/personal qualities
- Alumni/ae relation
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Cal Poly typically admits
A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1240 |
| 50th percentile | 1330 |
| 75th percentile | 1420 |
| % submitting SAT | 18.23% |
| 25th percentile | 28 |
| 50th percentile | 31 |
| 75th percentile | 33 |
| % submitting ACT | 4.6% |
- • Test-blind: Cal Poly does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • Like all CSU campuses, Cal Poly does not use SAT/ACT in admission; scores may be used for course placement only.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Cal Poly's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 45.71% |
| Top 25% of class | 79.24% |
| Top 50% of class | 97.01% |
| % submitting class rank | 9.2% |
How much does Cal Poly actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,596 for in-state students and $34,665 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,792 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $16,665 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $6,838 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $20,968 |
| Room and board | $20,338 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $16,665 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 77% |
| Average need-based grant | $19,638 |
| Average merit award, no financial need373 first-year students received one | $3,160 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 33% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $21,588 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $70 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Cal Poly
| Regular deadline | November 30 |
| Notification date | April 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
Will my child graduate from Cal Poly?
These predict outcomes at Cal Poly better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Cal Poly
The most popular undergraduate programs at Cal Poly, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Mechanical Engineering and Architectural Sciences and Technology. Across all programs, Cal Poly confers roughly 2,007 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $102,603 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 753 | $102,603 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 272 | $110,675 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 180 | n/a |
| Animal Sciences | 165 | $62,117 |
| Computer Science | 163 | n/a |
| Biology, General | 160 | $73,422 |
| Computer Engineering | 158 | $146,406 |
| Psychology, General | 156 | $65,762 |
Is Cal Poly safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Cal Poly disclosed 78 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 20 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Cal Poly?
About 39% of undergraduates at Cal Poly live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 13% of men join a fraternity and 19% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona75% acceptance
- California State University-Los Angeles91% acceptance
- California State University-Fresno95% acceptance
- California State University-Sacramento94% acceptance
- Claremont McKenna College10% acceptance
- Harvey Mudd College13% acceptance
- Pomona College7% acceptance
- Pitzer College25% acceptance
Next steps for Cal Poly
Common questions parents ask about Cal Poly
What GPA do I need for Cal Poly?
64% of enrolled students at Cal Poly had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.03, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Cal Poly typically admit?
Cal Poly is test-blind: SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admission decisions, even if you submit them. There is no score range because scores are not read.
How much does Cal Poly actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Cal Poly after grants and scholarships is $16,665 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $13,596 and $34,665 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is Cal Poly realistic for my child?
Cal Poly admits 30% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $16,665 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Cal Poly?
Cal Poly accepts about 30% of applicants out of roughly 71,309 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is Cal Poly test-optional?
Cal Poly is test-blind for Fall 2027 applicants: it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them.
What is the graduation rate at Cal Poly?
About 87% of students at Cal Poly graduate within six years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Cal Poly look for in applicants?
Cal Poly rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Cal Poly a public or private school, and where is it located?
Cal Poly is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California.
What are the most popular majors at Cal Poly?
The largest undergraduate majors at Cal Poly by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Mechanical Engineering and Architectural Sciences and Technology. The school awards about 2,007 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Cal Poly safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Cal Poly reported 78 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.5 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Cal Poly?
At Cal Poly, 39% of undergraduates live on campus, 13% of men are in fraternities, 19% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers