Cuesta College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in San Luis Obispo, California. It enrolls 7,180 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 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
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 (2-Year), 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
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes59
Value52
Affordability27
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Cuesta College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
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 $12,124 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)
$1,350
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,010
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,192
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
$10,414
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,905
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,150
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,620
Over $110,000
$18,448
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$13,750Medianpercentile
$11,25075%percentile
$19,41790%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 $9,954
↓ $3,796
No Pell $7,502
↓ $6,248
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $8,250
Independent students $10,500
↓ $3,250
Female students $9,500
↓ $4,250
Male students $9,500
↓ $4,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($13,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
19% of students who start here finish within six years, and 71% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
19%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $46,047 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)
$46,047
Earning > $25K
68%
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
$35,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$50,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,900, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.8 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 7,180 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 43% are the first in their family to go to college, and 60% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
7,180
Part-Time
60%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 48.3%3,468
Hispanic 35.9%2,578
Other 7.4%532
Asian 3.1%224
Black 2.1%154
International 0.3%20
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Cuesta College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Cuesta College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
77 distinct programs across
32 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 27 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.
Student : Faculty
27:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,588
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$38M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$109,027
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
134 instructional faculty across 1 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
Instructors
134
100%
$109,027
Pros & Cons of Cuesta College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Cuesta College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Cuesta College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cuesta College
The questions families ask most about Cuesta College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Cuesta College hard to get into?
Not especially. Cuesta College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Cuesta College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Cuesta College cost?
Budget around $12,124 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 Cuesta College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $46,047 a year against a net price of $12,124, about 3.8 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 Cuesta College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. 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 Cuesta College graduates earn?
About $46,047 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 Cuesta College accredited?
Yes. Cuesta College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Cuesta College?
7,180 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Cuesta College?
19% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Cuesta College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Cuesta College located?
Cuesta College is located in San Luis Obispo, California.
What programs does Cuesta College offer?
77 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. 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 Cuesta College?
27 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in California
Other colleges in California share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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