California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Arcata, California. It enrolls 5,612 students (a large 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.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Academic CalendarSemester
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
67/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes38
Value77
Affordability78
Selectivity3
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits 98.2% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
98.2%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
6.7 pts
since 2019
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 $13,171 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,250
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$20,850
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,118
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,432
Books & Supplies
$870
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,332
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,332
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,170
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
$8,483
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,812
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,088
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,593
Over $110,000
$22,228
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.
$3,50010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$18,000Medianpercentile
$24,30075%percentile
$31,00090%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 $15,000
↓ $3,000
No Pell $12,500
↓ $5,500
Dependent students $14,000
↓ $4,000
Independent students $16,500
↓ $1,500
Female students $14,250
↓ $3,750
Male students $14,630
↓ $3,370
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,000, less than completers ($18,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
57% of students who start here finish within six years, and 76% 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
57%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
76%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $47,626 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$47,626
Earning > $25K
72%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$36,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$39,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,700, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 5,612 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
5,612
Part-Time
12%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 51.6%2,894
Hispanic 28.6%1,605
Other 9.1%511
Asian 3.2%178
Black 2.6%143
International 0.3%17
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
54 distinct programs across
24 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.
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,563
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$32M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$95,304
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
271 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
94
35%
$112,723
Associate Professors
70
26%
$99,498
Assistant Professors
55
20%
$82,856
Lecturers
52
19%
$71,335
Pros & Cons of California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
No college is right for everyone. Here is where California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
The questions families ask most about California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt hard to get into?
Not especially. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 98.2%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
98.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt cost?
Budget around $13,171 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $47,626 a year against a net price of $13,171, about 3.6 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt known for?
Mostly Psychology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management. 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates earn?
About $47,626 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt accredited?
Yes. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
How many students attend California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
5,612 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
57% 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt located?
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt is located in Arcata, California.
What programs does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt offer?
54 different programs, most commonly Psychology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management. 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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