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San Luis Obispo, CA · Santa Barbara, CA
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of California-Santa Barbara | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $16,665/yr | $16,109/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,529/yr | $9,231/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $18,500 | $13,993 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,253/yr | $9,992/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,896/yr | $12,588/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $15,786/yr | $17,136/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $27,772/yr | $31,863/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $196/mo | $148/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $18,792/yr | $20,279/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $19,155/yr | $17,047/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,119/yr | $1,381/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,069/yr | $6,833/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $32,265/yr | $41,573/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,596/yr | $16,414/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $34,665/yr | $50,614/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 28% |
| Students taking federal loans | 25% | 18% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 31% | 33% |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 63,736 | 110,871 |
| Students accepted | 18,964 | 30,804 |
| Students who enrolled | 5,278 | 5,043 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 28% | 16% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Not considered | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Not considered | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 86% | 83% |
| Freshmen who come back | 96% | 93% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $90,768/yr | $74,915/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $58,977–$132,118 | $49,095–$111,078 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 87% | 88% |
| White students graduating | 88% | 84% |
| Black students graduating | 61% | 80% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 83% | 76% |
| Asian students graduating | 89% | 90% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $72,358/yr | $56,852/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 86% | 81% |
| Graduate on time | 61% | 70% |
| Pell students who graduate | 80% | 80% |
| First-gen students who finish | 75% | 64% |
| Low-income students who finish | 76% | 62% |
| Students who transfer out | 1.3% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $82,835/yr | $68,092/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Engineering 23% · Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Agriculture & Veterinary Science 11% | Social Sciences 27% · Psychology 12% · Mathematics & Statistics 10% |
| Most popular program | Engineering — 23% of degrees | Social Sciences — 27% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees | Psychology — 12% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Agriculture & Veterinary Science — 11% of degrees | Mathematics & Statistics — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 5% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 9% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Computer Engineering — $111,560/yr | Computer Science — $107,776/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 38% | 32% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 21,996 | 23,113 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,036 | 2,952 |
| Average professor pay | $12,673/mo | $20,677/mo |
| Full-time professors | 69% | 90% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
| Median family income | $74,513 | $36,166 |
| Setting | Suburb (small) | Suburb (midsize) |
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Barbara, CA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | 1901 | 1891 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.7% | 8.8% |
| Men | 49% | 42% |
| Women | 51% | 58% |
| White students | 48% | 32% |
| Black students | 0.8% | 2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 25% | 27% |
| Asian students | 14% | 18% |
| Two or more races | 8.1% | 9.5% |
| Other / not reported | 3.6% | 2.9% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 25% | 42% |
| Part-time students | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,438/yr | $17,118/yr |
| Endowment | $296.4M | $444.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 8,820 | 11,432 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $11,094/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $7,400/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | No |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 20 |
| Student athletes | 677 | 488 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.1M | $6.6M |
| Athletics budget | $45.5M | $32.8M |
| Athletics revenue | $49.2M | $32.8M |
| Recruiting spend | $681,363 | $770,104 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.