California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Academics

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How strong are the academics at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

19:1
Student to faculty ratio
35
Average class size
62%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
71
10-19
330
20-29
712
30-39
626
40-49
262
50-99
164
100+
95

Honors Programs

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo:

95%
First-year retention rate
62%
4-year grad rate
86%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Business Administration and Management, General
Mechanical Engineering
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology
Computer Science
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
39
181.8
324.6
467.4
610.2
753

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 149
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 120
  • Viticulture and Enology 62
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 49
  • Agricultural Mechanization, General 40
  • Food Science 39
  • Agricultural Communication/Journalism 32
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 27
  • Agriculture, General 27
  • Agriculture, General 27
  • Dairy Science 16
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 1
  • Agriculture, General 1
  • Agriculture, General 1
  • Ornamental Horticulture 1
  • Agricultural Business and Management, General 0
  • Horticultural Science 0
  • Soil Science and Agronomy, General 0
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 180
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 36
  • Landscape Architecture 27
  • Architecture 0
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 12
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 8
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 158
  • Biochemistry 38
  • Microbiology, General 16
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 2
  • Biochemistry 1
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 753
  • Construction Management, General 123
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 77
  • Journalism 58
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Graphic Communications, General 83
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 159
  • Computer Science 4
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 57
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 271
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 135
  • Civil Engineering, General 130
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 106
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 104
  • Computer Engineering, General 95
  • Industrial Engineering 72
  • Computer Software Engineering 63
  • Materials Engineering 48
  • Architectural Engineering 39
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 29
  • Manufacturing Engineering 22
  • Agricultural Engineering 18
  • Engineering Science 7
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 1
  • Mechanical Engineering 1
  • Manufacturing Engineering 1
  • Construction Engineering 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 52
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 58
  • English Language and Literature, General 2
  • Rhetoric and Composition 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 4
  • Spanish Language and Literature 3
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 2
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 60
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 0
History
  • History, General 58
  • History, General 2
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 85
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 22
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 55
  • Statistics, General 40
  • Mathematics, General 7
  • Statistics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nutrition Sciences 74
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 25
  • Marine Sciences 12
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other 125
  • Forestry, General 38
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other 2
  • Forestry, General 1
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 0
Parks
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 95
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 75
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 32
  • Philosophy 3
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 50
  • Chemistry, General 26
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 23
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 153
  • Psychology, General 3
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 88
  • Sociology, General 63
  • Economics, General 53
  • Social Sciences, Other 38
  • Political Science and Government, General 7
  • Sociology, General 1
  • Social Sciences, Other 1
  • Social Sciences, General 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 54
  • Music, General 11
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 10
  • Music, General 1
  • Art/Art Studies, General 0

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