Graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn median earnings of $90,662 four years after enrollment, placing California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in the 93.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $20,049 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 95.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo #63 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's deep concentration in applied and technical fields. Engineering is the dominant program family, with Engineering accounting for 23% of degrees, followed by Business at 18% and Social Sciences at 5%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key driver of the university's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 753 graduates earning median earnings of $110,902 four years after enrollment — 1.6x the national benchmark for the field. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #16 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 272 graduates earning $106,750, and Animal Sciences ranks #8 nationally with graduates earning $54,805. Among the most popular programs, Computer Science program graduates 163 students annually, and Azimuth ranks it #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $154,784 four years after enrollment.
Graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn median earnings of $90,662 four years after enrollment, placing California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in the 93.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $20,049 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 95.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo #63 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's deep concentration in applied and technical fields. Engineering is the dominant program family, with Engineering accounting for 23% of degrees, followed by Business at 18% and Social Sciences at 5%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key driver of the university's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 753 graduates earning median earnings of $110,902 four years after enrollment — 1.6x the national benchmark for the field. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #16 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 272 graduates earning $106,750, and Animal Sciences ranks #8 nationally with graduates earning $54,805. Among the most popular programs, Computer Science program graduates 163 students annually, and Azimuth ranks it #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $154,784 four years after enrollment.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn median earnings of $90,662 four years after enrollment, placing California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in the 93.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $20,049 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 95.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo #63 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's deep concentration in applied and technical fields. Engineering is the dominant program family, with Engineering accounting for 23% of degrees, followed by Business at 18% and Social Sciences at 5%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key driver of the university's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 753 graduates earning median earnings of $110,902 four years after enrollment — 1.6x the national benchmark for the field. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #16 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 272 graduates earning $106,750, and Animal Sciences ranks #8 nationally with graduates earning $54,805. Among the most popular programs, Computer Science program graduates 163 students annually, and Azimuth ranks it #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $154,784 four years after enrollment.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's program mix is anchored in Engineering, with strong representation in business and agriculture — a portfolio shaped by the university's polytechnic, learn-by-doing identity. Business Administration is the largest program with 753 graduates, followed by Mechanical Engineering (272 graduates), Architectural Sciences and Technology (180 graduates), Animal Sciences (165 graduates), and Computer Science (163 graduates). Engineering accounts for 23% of degree output, Business for 18%, and Social Sciences for 5%, reflecting a concentration in applied, workforce-aligned fields. The strongest national rankings cluster in engineering and computing subfields. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #24 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 163 graduates earning $154,784. Azimuth ranks Computer Engineering #11 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $148,950. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering also stands out — Azimuth ranks it #11 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 136 graduates earning $125,240. On the business side, Azimuth ranks Animal Sciences #8 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $54,805, and Azimuth ranks Computer Science #24 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $154,784. The combination of cohort scale and strong pay in Business Administration — the program combining the largest enrollment with competitive earnings — makes it a central driver of the institution's overall return profile, as described in how Azimuth evaluates programs. The majority of Cal Poly's top-performing programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly — particularly in engineering, computer science, and business fields where four-year earnings closely reflect labor-market outcomes. Agriculture-related programs add a distinctive applied dimension less common at peer polytechnics. The provides context for how these applied STEM and business fields align with national employer demand. ```
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn median earnings of $90,662 four years after enrollment, placing California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in the 93.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $20,049 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 95.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo #63 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's deep concentration in applied and technical fields. Engineering is the dominant program family, with Engineering accounting for 23% of degrees, followed by Business at 18% and Social Sciences at 5%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key driver of the university's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 753 graduates earning median earnings of $110,902 four years after enrollment — 1.6x the national benchmark for the field. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #16 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 272 graduates earning $106,750, and Animal Sciences ranks #8 nationally with graduates earning $54,805. Among the most popular programs, Computer Science program graduates 163 students annually, and Azimuth ranks it #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $154,784 four years after enrollment.
