by our College Data Analytics TeamGet the facts about California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Graduate School. Learn how it ranks, what graduate degree programs it offers, how diverse it is, and much more. You can jump to any section of this page using the following list.
College Factual produces its Best Quality Schools rankings on a yearly basis to recognize those graduate schools that provide an excellent educational experience and are dedicated to helping their students succeed.These rankings are based on components such as post-graduation earnings of students, accumulated student debt of graduates, how much in demand the school is, and faculty and student diversity.
Out of a field of 4,630 colleges and universities considered in the 2026 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the U.S. ranking, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo landed the #17 spot.In addition, Cal Poly took the #4 spot for Best Master’s Degree Schools in California.
### Best Graduate Schools RankingIn College Factual’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools in the United States ranking, Cal Poly took the #17 spot out of 4,630 schools. Cal Poly also ranked #4 for Best Graduate Schools in California.
For the last year in which we have data, 1,036 graduate students decided that California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo was the best place for them.College Factual looked at the demographics of these students to determine how diverse the population is.Keep reading to learn more.
Women make up 46.1% of the total graduate student body at Cal Poly while men make up 53.9%. These percentages may be different for specific degree programs.
Of all the graduate students at Cal Poly, around 39.2% belong to a racial-ethnic minority group.Cal Poly is popular with people from outside the United States, too. International students make up 3.0% of the graduate student population.For more details on graduate school diversity at the school, check out the chart below. If you click on it, you’ll be taken to a page with more details.
The average tuition and fees for full-time graduate students is not available due to a lack of data.
The typical graduate student at Cal Poly who borrowed carries a median debt of $19,273.
The average early-career salary for master’s degree recipients from Cal Poly is $112,829.
Early-career pay varies by field of study. The following table shows the graduate fields of study at Cal Poly with the highest average early-career salaries for recent graduates.
| Graduate Field of Study | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $183,105 |
| Electrical Engineering | $158,506 |
| Fire Protection | $141,848 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | $124,216 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $119,479 |
| Aeronautical Engineering | $106,635 |
| Civil Engineering | $103,431 |
| Urban & Regional Planning | $99,106 |
| Management Sciences & Methods | $96,886 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | $92,498 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is a public institution situated in San Luis Obispo, California.San Luis Obispo is a good match for students who enjoy the safety and convenience of the suburbs. Get more details about the location of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Contact details for Cal Poly are given below.
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 |
| Phone: | 805-756-1111 |
| Website: | calpoly.edu |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/CaliforniaPolytechnic |
| Twitter: | twitter.com/calpoly |
12.8% of the graduate students at Cal Poly took at least one online course.Approximately 6.3% of grad students took all their classes online during that same time period.
Only the degree programs in which master’s degrees were awarded are listed here.
| Masters Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Aeronautical Engineering | 12 | — |
| Architectural Engineering | 13 | — |
| Biomedical Engineering | 23 | — |
| Business Administration & Management | 29 | — |
| Chemistry | 10 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 26 | $103,431 |
| Computer Science | 28 | — |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 15 | — |
| Economics | 20 | — |
| Educational Administration | 20 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | 10 | $158,506 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 33 | — |
| Fire Protection | 11 | $141,848 |
| Food Science Technology | 2 | — |
| General Agriculture | 12 | — |
| General Architecture | 6 | — |
| General Biology | 17 | — |
| General English Literature | 6 | — |
| General Psychology | 12 | — |
| History | 8 | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 4 | — |
| Management Sciences & Methods | 51 | — |
| Mathematics | 12 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 21 | $119,479 |
| Natural Resources Conservation | 19 | — |
| Nutrition Science | 3 | — |
| Public Policy | 10 | — |
| Special Education | 12 | — |
| Statistics | 1 | — |
| Student Counseling | 17 | — |
| Taxation | 14 | — |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 60 | — |
| Urban & Regional Planning | 10 | $99,106 |
Only the programs in which a graduate certificate was awarded are shown here.
| Graduate Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Other Engineering | 1 | — |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
References