by our College Data Analytics TeamHome to about 21,456 undergraduates in 2020, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a very large, public university located in San Luis Obispo, California. A safe, suburban environment can offer many of the amenities of city living without the constant hum. Should you tire of the campus however, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Guide to Distance and Online Learning.
Individuals with disabilities make up 8.0% of the student population at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Disability Services.
While not a "service academy", Cal Poly San Luis Obispo does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Veteran Services . For more information, check out our Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for Veterans Guide.
For students with young families, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo does offer some day care. Programs like this are often in very high demand, so be sure to inquire as soon as you can.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.
* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has a comparatively very large, student body. There were 21,456 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 20,198 (94.1%). Part-time attendance was 1,258 (5.9%).
| Full-time | Part-time | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 20,198 | 1,258 | 21,456 |
Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank Cal Poly San Luis Obispo #137 out of 3,451.
The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.
You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo by looking closer at the ethnic, gender, age, and geographic diversity metrics from the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Diversity Guide.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has a total of 562 student athletes, 307 men and 255 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.
| Total Revenue (all teams) | $15,861,244 |
| Total Expenses (all teams) | $15,793,736 |
| Net | $67,508 |
For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Athletics