California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public college in San Luis Obispo, CA. Students pay about $16,665 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $90,768 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.9 years and adds $355,520 over a decade, ranking it #29 of 918 (top 4%) by value added.
What is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's acceptance rate?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo has an acceptance rate of 31.3%, which makes it selective. It is a public institution in San Luis Obispo, CA enrolling about 21,996 students, with a 85.7% graduation rate.
How much does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo cost?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo costs about $16,665 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $85,160. Published sticker cost of attendance is $32,265 per year.
How much do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo student earns $90,768 per year. That is $44,068 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo pays back its roughly $85,160 cost in about 1.9 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $355,520 net of cost, a 5.17x return on the money invested. That ranks it #29 of 918 (top 4%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and public-school pricing.
Top 10% value
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduation rate and student debt
85.7% of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $18,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 20% of one year of median graduate earnings.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $16,665 | $20,299 | cheaper than 67% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $90,768 | $54,768 | 96th |
| Graduation rate | 85.7% | 57.0% | 93th |
| Acceptance rate | 31.3% | 75.7% | more selective than 92% |
| 10-yr value added | $355,520 | -$28,192 | 97th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 5.17x | 0.73x | 98th |
| Payback period | 1.9 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 97% |
Frequently asked
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ranks #29 of 918 (top 4%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 5.17x the money invested over a decade.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $16,665 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 67% of them.
Do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $90,768 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 96% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo compared to other colleges?
Its 31.3% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 92% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.