California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Net Price Calculator and Real Cost Breakdown
U.S. Department of Education data Net price 2022-23 Charges 2023-24 Verified 2026-08-13 Methodology
The published cost of attendance at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is about $50,363 for 2023-24 ($11,075 tuition and fees plus housing and food, books and supplies, and other on-campus expenses), and the average student paid $16,888 after grants and scholarships (2022-23 federal data). Your actual price depends mostly on family income. Use the estimator below.
Source: U.S. Department of Education IPEDS, net price 2022-23, published charges 2023-24. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
Estimate your net price
Select your household income to see the average net price students in your bracket actually paid at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (2022-23 federal data).
per year, estimated
Average net price by household income
| Household income | Average net price (2022-23) |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $6,476 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $6,904 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,372 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,032 |
| $110,001 and up | $26,920 |
Average net price for full-time first-time undergraduates awarded grant or scholarship aid. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2022-23. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
Where the aid comes from
Aid received by full-time first-time undergraduates at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2022-23, by source:
- 20 percent received a federal Pell Grant, averaging $5,840.
- 41 percent received institutional grants or scholarships from the school itself, averaging $7,705.
- 37 percent received state or local government grants, averaging $4,360.
- 28 percent took out federal student loans, averaging $5,069. Loans must be repaid and do not reduce the net price.
Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2022-23, full-time first-time undergraduates. Retrieved 2026-08-13. These figures describe a past cohort and are not an offer or estimate of aid.
Published cost vs what students actually pay
48 percent of full-time first-time undergraduates received grant or scholarship aid (2022-23 IPEDS).
That average net price is $7,445 below the California average of $24,333 across 180 reporting 4-year institutions (IPEDS SFA 2022-23, retrieved 2026-08-13).
Is the net price rising or falling?
The average net price at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo fell $3,820 over the two years ending 2022-23.
Average net price by year, 2020-21 through 2022-23, from the IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
Size, retention, debt, earnings, and completion
- 21,996 degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled. Source: College Scorecard, most recent fall. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- 96 percent of full-time first-time students returned for a second year. Source: College Scorecard, most recent cohort. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- 86 percent of students complete within 150 percent of normal time. Source: College Scorecard. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- $18,500 median federal loan debt at graduation. Source: College Scorecard, most recent cohort. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- $72,358 median earnings of former students 6 years after entry. Source: College Scorecard median earnings, most recent cohort. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- $90,768 median earnings of former students 10 years after entry. Source: College Scorecard median earnings, most recent cohort. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
Earnings, debt, retention, and completion describe past federal aid cohorts as reported by the College Scorecard. They are not a promise of any individual outcome.
Common questions about California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo costs
What is the real cost of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
Published tuition and fees at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo are $11,075 for 2023-24. The average net price, the full cost of attendance minus grant and scholarship aid, was $16,888 (2022-23 IPEDS Student Financial Aid data, retrieved 2026-08-13). Your price depends mostly on household income.
How much aid do students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo get?
48 percent of full-time first-time undergraduates at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received grant or scholarship aid in 2022-23 (IPEDS, retrieved 2026-08-13). The income bracket table on this page shows the average net price after that aid.
Do students at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo get Pell Grants?
20 percent of full-time first-time undergraduates at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo received a federal Pell Grant in 2022-23, averaging $5,840 (IPEDS Student Financial Aid data, retrieved 2026-08-13). Pell eligibility is determined by your FAFSA, not by the school.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo worth the cost?
Federal data reports outcomes without judging value. Median federal loan debt at graduation is $18,500. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $90,768 (College Scorecard). Compare those figures with the net price for your income bracket to judge fit for your situation.
The school's official calculator
For a personalized federal estimate including your assets and family details, use California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's official net price calculator.
CollegeNPC.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. Data is compiled from U.S. Department of Education public datasets. For the school's official net price calculator, visit the school's site.