California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Featured Rankings
- #22 Communications Liberal Arts Colleges
- #22 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Majors
- #24 Computer Science Liberal Arts Colleges
- #24 Public Colleges California
- #25 Sociology Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Physics Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Engineering Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2026
- #25 Chemistry Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Earth Sciences Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2026
- #25 Math Liberal Arts Colleges
- #25 Liberal Arts Colleges for Biology Degrees
About California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
According to Wikipedia, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is a public university in San Luis Obispo County, adjacent to the city of San Luis Obispo. It is the oldest of three polytechnics in the California State University system.
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63,736 | 31% | 96% | 87% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $15,039 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $10,354 |
| 30K - 48K | $9,975 |
| 48K - 75K | $12,476 |
| 75K - 110K | $18,082 |
| 110K+ | $31,461 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $96,304 a year, and 94% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 23,829 | 22,726 | 1,103 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo?
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is located at 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407.
How Safe is California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo?
Relative to its enrollment, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo has a violent crime rate of 0.05% and a property crime rate of 0.24%. San Luis Obispo has a violent crime rate of 0.42% and a property crime rate of 2.67%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Known For?
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Education
- Business
- Sociology
- Medical
- History
- Communications
- Literature
- Earth Sciences
- Philosophy
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Economics
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #238 in the U.S. and #1321 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #284 in the U.S. and #701 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #354 in the U.S. and #636 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #367 in the U.S. and #1665 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #426 in the U.S. and #1927 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #516 in the U.S. and #2117 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #529 in the U.S. and #2266 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #616 in the U.S. and #2673 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #700 in the U.S. and #2662 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #764 in the U.S. and #2619 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #815 in the U.S. and #2880 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #863 in the U.S. and #2684 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #909 in the U.S. and #3412 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #974 in the U.S. and #2932 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #1061 in the U.S. and #3923 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #1219 in the U.S. and #4037 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #1224 in the U.S. and #5051 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #1301 in the U.S. and #5569 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ranks #1496 in the U.S. and #7103 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesWho Are California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's Most Influential Alumni?
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Nursing. Here are some of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's most famous alumni:
- Alvin Trivelpiece
- An American scientist.
- Brian Nosek
- An American social psychologist.
- Eric Schadt
- An American scientist.
- Arthur van Hoff
- A Dutch computer scientist.
- John Eldredge
- An American writer.
- Margo Chase
- An American graphic designer best known for her custom typography and identity work..
- Paul M. Sutter
- An American astrophysicist.
- Gregory Raleigh
- An Inventor of 4G MIMO.
- Soroosh Sorooshian
- An American engineer.
- Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika
- A Zambian diplomat.
- Laura Diaz
- An American journalist.
- Lawrence Scarpa
- An American architect.
Who Are California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's Most Influential Faculty?
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Nursing. Here are some of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's most famous faculty:
