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
Computer Science
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
53
180.2
307.4
434.6
561.8
689

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 146
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 126
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 55
  • Viticulture and Enology 49
  • Food Science 32
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 31
  • Agriculture, General 31
  • Agriculture, General 31
  • Agricultural Mechanization, General 31
  • Agricultural Communication/Journalism 29
  • Dairy Science 13
  • Agricultural Business and Management, General 0
  • Ornamental Horticulture 0
  • Horticultural Science 0
  • Soil Science and Agronomy, General 0
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 126
  • Landscape Architecture 48
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 36
  • Architecture 0
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 8
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 161
  • Biochemistry 37
  • Microbiology, General 23
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 689
  • Construction Management, General 148
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 71
  • Journalism 51
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Graphic Communications, General 73
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 201
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 52
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 278
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 159
  • Civil Engineering, General 148
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 109
  • Computer Engineering, General 83
  • Industrial Engineering 76
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 71
  • Computer Software Engineering 46
  • Materials Engineering 46
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 39
  • Agricultural Engineering 37
  • Architectural Engineering 26
  • Manufacturing Engineering 17
  • Engineering Science 13
  • Construction Engineering 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 36
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 48
  • Rhetoric and Composition 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 4
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 61
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 0
History
  • History, General 53
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 86
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 29
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 49
  • Statistics, General 41
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nutrition Sciences 74
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 30
  • Marine Sciences 25
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other 123
  • Forestry, General 43
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 0
Parks
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 102
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 75
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 28
Physical Sciences
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 37
  • Physics, General 30
  • Chemistry, General 29
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 131
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 84
  • Sociology, General 66
  • Economics, General 58
  • Social Sciences, Other 35
  • Social Sciences, General 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 58
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 16
  • Music, General 14
  • Art/Art Studies, General 0

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