California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Graduation Rate
- 68% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $71,902 A
- Top 7% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $11,531 B-
- 33% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 75% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 45.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $45.3 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $45.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,042,247.
What The Data Says
-
A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 76% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $45.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Matters
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is a public university in Pomona, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and low net price paired with solid completion. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 7% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 25,042
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 75% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $11,531 a year after grants and scholarships — 33% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $71,902 ten years after enrolling — 76% above the typical college, against $16,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.74 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona serves over 25,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in California. With a 75% acceptance rate, it welcomes a diverse range of applicants. This combination of size and accessibility creates a vibrant campus environment.
Graduates earn an average of $71,902 within ten years of completing their degree. While the graduation rate stands at 68%, it reflects significant potential for upward mobility, especially for students from low-income backgrounds, with 46% receiving Pell Grants. Although specific mobility metrics are not available, the earnings data suggests that many students find stable employment after graduation.
Attending Cal Poly Pomona is financially manageable, with a net price of $11,531 and a median debt of $16,000. Students tend to thrive in programs like Business & Marketing, Engineering, and Computer Science. This university is well-suited for those seeking practical degrees that lead to solid job prospects and a supportive community.
Rankings
- #15 Best Engineering Colleges in California
- #20 Best Business Colleges in California
- #24 Best MBA Programs in California
- #31 Best Bachelor's Programs in California
- #31 Best Online Colleges in California
- #32 Best Master's Programs in California
- #33 Best Computer Science Colleges in California
- #33 Best Data Science Colleges in California
Can I Get In?
How selective California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pomona, California, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 75%. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 75%
- Retention Rate
- 87%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 48%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,943
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 25:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.63
- First-Gen Students
- 49%
- Applicants
- 49,079
- Admitted
- 27,179
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 12% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 12%
- of admits enroll
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is $20,380, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,531. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,851 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $7,780
- Out-of-State
- $20,380
- Avg Net Price
- $11,531
- Median Debt
- $16,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 46%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 25%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $7,851
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,433
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,734
- Family Income $110K+
- $20,716
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of California State Polytechnic University-Pomona earn a median of $71,902, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $54,466
- 8 Years
- $64,008
- 10 Years
- $71,902
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 70%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,055)
- 30%
- 100% (1,055)
- 30%
- 100% (1,055)
- 30%
- 100% (1,055)
- 30%
How California Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,531/year ($46,124 total). Graduates earn $71,902 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,088,371 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,042,247 (45.3× your investment). The median debt is $16,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $46,124
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,088,371
- Net Return
- $2,042,247
- ROI Multiple
- 45.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $11,531
- Median Debt
- $16,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 68%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-23,571,547
Top Programs
The fields California State Polytechnic University-Pomona awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 25% $51,992 early-career
- Engineering 19% $83,090 early-career
- Social Sciences 7% $44,638 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6% $76,512 early-career
- Psychology 6% $31,737 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $54,063 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 3% $38,064 early-career
- Education 3% $36,562 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for California State Polytechnic University-Pomona's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pomona, California, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 75%. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is $20,380, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,531. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,851 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,000 in federal student loans.
Is California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of California State Polytechnic University-Pomona earn a median of $71,902, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
How Connected Is California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. Its economic connectedness score is 1.74, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does California State Polytechnic University-Pomona offer Early Decision?
No. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona?
About 12% of admitted students choose to enroll at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.
- University of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL · Close peer61% grad $68,740 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA · Close peer76% grad $67,699 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA · Close peer67% grad $78,988 earn 85% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · Close peer74% grad $70,814 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK · Close peer75% grad $63,126 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of DelawareNewark, DE · Close peer80% grad $72,950 earn 71% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. Its economic connectedness score is 1.74, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note