C
#7 Best Public Universities in California

Cal Poly Tuition & Cost

San Luis Obispo, California

 2 Reviews

How much does it cost to attend?

In State California Resident Sticker Price
$29,680
In State Costs for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Fee Cost
Tuition$5,742
Books and Supplies$909
Other Fees$4,453
Room and Board $16,332
Other Expenses Budget$2,244
Out of State Resident Sticker Price
$41,560
Out of State Costs for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Fee Cost
Tuition$17,622
Books and Supplies$909
Other Fees$4,453
Room and Board $16,332
Other Expenses Budget$2,244

In-state tuition at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo for undergraduate students residing in California is $5,742. Room and board charges total $16,332 per year. Students will also need to budget for books and supplies, which typically amount to $909 annually. Other administrative or academic fees are $4,453 for the year. Additionally, students should plan an estimated $2,244 for other miscellaneous expenses throughout the year. In sum, residents attending California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo full time should expect a total annual cost of $29,680.

Undergraduate tuition at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is $17,622 for out-of-state students. Additionally, out-of-state students are charged $16,332 for room and board, $909 for textbooks and educational resources, plus fees of $4,453. Students are advised to budget $2,244 for other expenses. When these costs are combined, annual out-of-state charges total $41,560. This figure is 40% higher than what California residents pay.

All price data is sourced from the 2021/2022 U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics survey.

Net Price

The net price provides a more realistic estimate of the true cost of attending California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, once common grants and scholarships have been taken into account. It's important to note that this net price can fluctuate based on factors such as family income and individual financial need.

Average Net Price 2019/2020
$20,491
Net Price by Income California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Family Income Net Price Paid
$0 to $30,000$12,173
$30,001 to $48,000$13,194
$48,001 to $75,000$17,340
$75,001 to $110,000$22,744
$110,000+$27,740

The average reported annual net price for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $20,491 in 2019/2020. Net price includes tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and average cost for room and board and other expenses

Financial Aid

60% of full-time undergrad California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo received financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, fellowships from the institution or from Federal, State or local government agencies. This aid averaged $6,186 per student during the 2019/2020 school year. Grant and scholarship aid does not need to be paid back. 27% of students received Federal Student Loans averaging $5,014 and 2% of undergrads took out private student loans averaging $18,233.

Finanical Aid California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Type Avg./Student Students Receiving
Total Grant and Scholarship Aid $6,186 60%
Institutional Grants and Scholarships $4,063 43%
Pell Grants $5,014 15%
Other Federal Grants $542 14%
State and Local Grants $2,828 27%
Federal Student Loans $5,014 27%
Other Student Loans $18,233 2%

Student Loans

To gauge a more realistic picture of what it may really cost you out of pocket to go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, we've modeled a ten year student loan with an original principal value of $61,012. The loan balance of $61,012 is a four year multiple of the $15,253 average net price. This is a estimate of what you could owe upon graduation if you were to qualify for average financial aid and what a degree really may cost. Should you not qualify for financial aid, you may owe significantly more when you graduate. Based on these assumptions, a monthly repayment of $647 could be required to satisfy your student loan.

Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed and is only available for qualifying students. Federal Student Loans are not grants and must be repaid with interest. The current Stafford loan interest rate is 4.99%.

Example Loan $61,012
Stafford Loan Interest Rate 4.99%
Time to Pay Off Student Loan 10 years
Example Monthly Payment $646.83
Total Interest Paid $16,607.45
Sum of All Loan Payments $77,619.45

Projected 4 Year Degree Price

4 Year Sticker Price
$118,720
Year California Residents Non Residents
1 $29,680 $41,560
2 $29,973 $41,970
3 $30,269 $42,384
4 $30,567 $42,803

Based on published tuition prices, we estimate the current cost of a 4 year bachelor's degree and living expenses at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo to be $118,720 - assuming graduation in normal time. The estimation assumes a 1% annual increase over the next 4 years which has been the recent trend for this school.

Credit Hour Cost and Price per Class

Credit Hour and Class Costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Price Per Credit 3 Credit Class 4 Credit Class
California Residents $0 $0 $0
Out of State Residents $248 $744 $992

Estimated cost for a class at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo based on published credit hour prices. Note that not all schools allow single class enrollment. These prices should be used for comparison purposes as to how much it may cost to take a class at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo versus other colleges.

Tuition Payment Plans Available

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Payment Plans
Tuition Payment Plan No
Prepaid Tuition Plan No
Alternative Tuition Plan No
Guaranteed Tuition Plan No
Costs for Similar Colleges 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110422 IPEDS survey data for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.