Strong graduate outcomes with earnings well above peer institutions. Robust earnings growth over time.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Cal Poly graduates demonstrate steady earnings growth across their early career progression. Median earnings rise from $72,358 six years after enrollment to $82,835 at eight years and reach $90,768 at ten years, representing 25.4% growth from the six-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $18,500 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Cal Poly graduates carry a median debt of $18,500, below the peer median of $20,000 and resulting in controlled borrowing relative to similar institutions. Debt ranges from $7,500 at the 25th percentile to $25,000 at the 75th percentile, showing variation in borrowing patterns but generally moderate levels across the distribution.
Cal Poly delivers exceptional return on educational investment, ranking at the 95.5th percentile nationally with top-tier performance. The return index of 1.35 reflects the combination of strong earnings outcomes and controlled educational costs that create favorable long-term value for graduates.
Approximately 24.2% of Cal Poly graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. This contin...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Cal Poly's strongest return outcomes concentrate in technical disciplines where market demand drives premium compensation. Computer Engineering graduates earn $122,307, while Computer Science graduates earn $111,141, reflecting the institution's strength in technology education.
Engineering programs consistently deliver earnings above $90,000, with Industrial Engineering at $103,886 and Aerospace Engineering at $101,270. Even traditional liberal arts programs show competitive outcomes, with General Studies graduates earning $55,078 and ranking #12 nationally.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at Cal Poly shows meaningful variation reflecting program diversity and career path differences. Outcomes range from $58,977 at the 25th percentile to $132,118 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.2:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles.
