CostByCollegePublic, 4-year institution
How much does Cal Poly cost
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is in San Luis Obispo, CA. Total enrollment is 22,485 students, with 21,559 undergraduates.
The total cost for one year at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $32,321 for in state students, living on campus. For out of state students the total is $52,241. Tuition and fees alone come to $11,075 of that total.
The cost breakdown
The total below uses the on campus figures for room, board, and other expenses. Each total is the sum of the rows above it, with nothing added and nothing left out.
| Item | Cost for one year |
|---|---|
| Tuition, in state | $5,742 |
| Required fees, in state | $5,333 |
| Books and supplies | $1,089 |
| Room and board, on campus | $17,220 |
| Other expenses, on campus | $2,937 |
| Total cost for one year, in state | $32,321 |
Total cost for out of state students
Students from outside California pay a higher tuition rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. Every other part of the cost is the same.
| Item | Cost for one year |
|---|---|
| Tuition, out of state | $17,622 |
| Required fees, out of state | $13,373 |
| Books and supplies | $1,089 |
| Room and board, on campus | $17,220 |
| Other expenses, on campus | $2,937 |
| Total cost for one year, out of state | $52,241 |
Average net price
The average net price at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $16,888 for one year. Net price is the total cost minus grant and scholarship aid, averaged across full time, first time students who received federal student aid and paid the in state or in district rate, for the 2022 to 2023 academic year. It is an average, not a quote. A particular student can pay far less or close to the full published total, depending on family income and the aid the school offers.
That average net price is $1,116 below the average of $18,004 across the pilot schools on this site that publish a net price.
Cost weighed against outcomes
Median earnings ten years after entry are $90,768 a year. That figure covers students who received federal aid, who were working and not enrolled in further study at the ten year mark.
Median debt at graduation is $18,500. That is the median federal loan debt of students who completed a program at this school.
Put together, one year of median earnings at the ten year mark is about 4.9 times the median debt at graduation. That framing is rough. Earnings grow over a career, debt is usually repaid over many years, and both figures are medians across large groups, not a result any one student is promised.
The graduation rate is 85%. It measures the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.
How this school compares
Against its state: That is $9,306 below the California pilot school average of $41,627.
Against the country: That is $10,342 below the national pilot school average of $42,663.
State and national averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a total cost, 49 schools in California and 293 schools nationwide on this site. They describe the schools listed on this site, not every college in the state or the country.
Admissions at a glance
The acceptance rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 29.8% for fall 2023, from 63,736 applicants and 18,964 admitted students. Read the acceptance rate page for Cal Poly for the full picture, including how the rate compares.
Similar schools to compare
- San Jose State University, San Jose, California. Total cost $32,310 for one year.
- Palomar College, San Marcos, California. Total cost $31,560 for one year.
- California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Total cost $33,345 for one year.
- California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, California. Total cost $30,640 for one year.
- San Diego State University, San Diego, California. Total cost $34,072 for one year.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cal Poly cost per year?
The total cost for one year at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $32,321 for in state students, living on campus. It counts tuition, required fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses. For out of state students the total is $52,241.
What is the average net price at Cal Poly?
The average net price at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $16,888 for one year, for the 2022 to 2023 academic year. Net price is the total cost minus grant and scholarship aid, averaged across the students described on this page.
What do graduates of Cal Poly earn and owe?
Median earnings ten years after entry are $90,768 a year, and median debt at graduation is $18,500, in the College Scorecard data used here. Both are medians across large groups, not a promise for any one student.
What is the graduation rate at Cal Poly?
The graduation rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 85%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.
What is the acceptance rate at Cal Poly?
The acceptance rate at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is 29.8% for fall 2023, from 63,736 applicants and 18,964 admitted students. The acceptance rate page on this site explains what that figure does and does not mean.
Is Cal Poly public or private?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public, 4-year institution in San Luis Obispo, California. Total enrollment is 22,485 students.
Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and College Scorecard, United States Department of Education. Tuition and cost figures are for the 2023 to 2024 academic year. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. Average net price figures are for the 2022 to 2023 academic year. Earnings and debt figures come from the College Scorecard file dated June 10, 2026. See the methodology page for full detail.