Public Graduate Good 68/100

Cal Poly Maritime Academy

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Vallejo, California

About Cal Poly Maritime Academy

Thinking about Cal Poly Maritime Academy, a college in California where more students graduate in Transportation than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Cal Poly Maritime Academy is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Vallejo, California. It enrolls 804 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
95%
Graduation
64.1%
Net Price
$20,555
Median Earnings (10yr)
$94,784
Enrollment
804
Student : Faculty
10:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
68/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 53
Value 89
Affordability 40
Selectivity 10

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Cal Poly Maritime Academy admits 95% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
95%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Cal Poly Maritime Academy is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 22.5 pts since 2019
76.2%201982.5%202082.1%202195.5%202298.7%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,555 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$20,555
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
25%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
39%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$9,944
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$22,544
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,536
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,594
Books & Supplies
$1,029
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,492
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,629
Total Cost of Attendance
$29,853

Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $13,552
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $9,768
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $16,948
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $21,257
  • Over $110,000
    $24,911

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500
10% percentile
$8,750
25% percentile
$24,965
Median percentile
$29,197
75% percentile
$43,190
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,744 ↓ $6,221
No Pell $15,000 ↓ $9,965
Dependent students $16,500 ↓ $8,465
Independent students $22,242 ↓ $2,723
Female students $15,000 ↓ $9,965
Male students $17,489 ↓ $7,476
Pell recipients: 17.9% (4,458 students)No Pell: 14.3% (3,567 students)Dependent students: 15.7% (3,924 students)Independent students: 21.2% (5,290 students)Female students: 14.3% (3,567 students)Male students: 16.7% (4,159 students)Overall Median$24,965
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,000, less than completers ($24,965), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

64% of students who start here finish within six years, and 77% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
64%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $94,784 a year, well above the national median. Strong earnings, though the field studied drives much of that. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$94,784
Earning > $25K
91%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$80,000$85,000$90,000$95,000$105,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$87,300

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$88,700

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$87,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Stable ↑ 0.2 pts across 6 years
92%1yr93.6%3yr92.2%5yr
What this signals: Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 804 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
804
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
20%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 48.1% 387
Hispanic 22.1% 178
Other 11.1% 89
Asian 9.1% 73
Black 3.9% 31
International 0.4% 3
White: 48.1% (387 students)Hispanic: 22.1% (178 students)Other: 11.1% (89 students)Asian: 9.1% (73 students)Black: 3.9% (31 students)International: 0.4% (3 students)Total804

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Cal Poly Maritime Academy. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Vallejo, California
Housing
Strongly residential 774 beds for 804 students
Adult Learners
10% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Cal Poly Maritime Academy offers a focused set of programs: 8 distinct programs across 6 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

1 Program
2 Programs
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$31,290
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$16M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$102,208
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

61 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 17 28% $127,023
Associate Professors 17 28% $106,006
Assistant Professors 13 21% $87,811
Lecturers 14 23% $80,831

Pros & Cons of Cal Poly Maritime Academy

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Cal Poly Maritime Academy is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for: Based on the data, Cal Poly Maritime Academy is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cal Poly Maritime Academy

The questions families ask most about Cal Poly Maritime Academy, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Cal Poly Maritime Academy hard to get into?
Not especially. Cal Poly Maritime Academy admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 95%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Cal Poly Maritime Academy?
95% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Cal Poly Maritime Academy cost?
Budget around $20,555 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cal Poly Maritime Academy worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $94,784 a year against a net price of $20,555, about 4.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Cal Poly Maritime Academy known for?
Mostly Marine Transportation, Business Administration, International/Globalization Studies. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Cal Poly Maritime Academy graduates earn?
About $94,784 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cal Poly Maritime Academy accredited?
Yes. Cal Poly Maritime Academy is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend Cal Poly Maritime Academy?
804 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Cal Poly Maritime Academy?
64% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Cal Poly Maritime Academy a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Cal Poly Maritime Academy located?
Cal Poly Maritime Academy is located in Vallejo, California.
What programs does Cal Poly Maritime Academy offer?
8 different programs, most commonly Marine Transportation, Business Administration, International/Globalization Studies. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Cal Poly Maritime Academy?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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