What is Cal Poly SLO ranked in the US?

Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo) consistently ranks highly nationally, noted by Forbes as a Top 25 public college and 55th overall in 2025-26, while U.S. News & World Report places it as a top public university in the West, often #1, and its engineering programs rank nationally among the best for non-doctorate granting schools, typically in the top 10, according to U.S. News & World Report 2026 rankings for Cal Poly Pomona and university news sources, Cal Poly news, Cal Poly news.

What is Cal Poly SLO ranked nationally?

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly is again one of Forbes' Top 25 Public Colleges, as part of the magazine's 2025-26 list of America's Top Colleges. Overall, Cal Poly was 55th in the nation — up from 57th in 2024 and No. 83 in 2023 — among the 500 ranked public and private not-for-profit universities in the U.S.

What is the #1 university in California?

There isn't one single "number 1" university in California, as rankings vary, but Stanford University consistently ranks highest overall (private), while the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is often named the top public university, closely followed by UCLA, with Caltech also a top contender. Stanford and Caltech are private powerhouses, while UC Berkeley and UCLA lead the public sector, with UCSD, UCSB, and others also highly ranked. 

Is Cal Poly SLO as good as a UC?

Cal Poly is generally considered as good as many UCs for undergraduate studies, especially in technical fields, due to its strong "Learn by Doing" approach, high employment rates, and "return on investment," though top UCs like Berkeley and UCLA often have higher overall prestige, research focus, and admissions selectivity. The choice depends on your goals: Cal Poly excels in hands-on, career-focused education, while UCs often offer deeper research opportunities and broader academic variety, with top UCs generally considered more academically rigorous. 

Is Cal Poly SLO a public ivy?

So, here's this year's list of Public Ivy schools: Binghamton University. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

Cal Poly ranked highly in latest U.S. News & World Report list

Is it harder to get into UCLA or Cal Poly?

Generally, UCLA is harder to get into than Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) based on overall lower acceptance rates and higher applicant competitiveness, but Cal Poly SLO is extremely competitive in specific, popular majors like Engineering and Computer Science, sometimes rivaling or exceeding the difficulty of certain UC programs. While UCLA's overall admissions are tougher, Cal Poly SLO's focused programs make it very selective, often considered the most competitive Cal State school and rivaling some UCs. 

What are the 63 hidden Ivies?

The 63 Hidden Ivies are a list of highly selective, prestigious liberal arts colleges and universities outside the traditional Ivy League, identified by educational consultants Howard and Matthew Greene for offering an Ivy-level education with strong academics, resources, and reputation, including schools like Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Pomona, Duke, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins. They are grouped by region (Northeast, South, Midwest, West) and chosen for their exceptional resources, faculty, and vibrant campus life, making them excellent alternatives to the Ivies. 

Is it harder to get into UC Davis or Cal Poly?

A Chronicle analysis of admissions rates found that Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is the most competitive school in the California State University system.

Is UCSB or Cal Poly SLO better?

In summary, if you prioritize a hands-on, immediately employable education and strong industry connections, Cal Poly SLO is a better choice. If you're interested in a research-oriented education with a more laid-back environment and a wider variety of campus life experiences, UC Santa Barbara might be a better fit.

What is the hardest CSU to get into in California?

The hardest CSU to get into is generally Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO), known for its low acceptance rates (around 29-30%) and high academic requirements, especially for popular majors like engineering and architecture, which can see single-digit acceptance rates. Other highly competitive campuses include San Diego State University (SDSU) and CSU Long Beach, which also see lower admit rates and are often compared to some UC campuses in terms of selectivity, particularly for specific programs or in recent years. 

What are the top 3 UC's?

The top 3 UC campuses consistently ranked are UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, often trading the top spots depending on the ranking system (like U.S. News or Forbes), with Berkeley and UCLA frequently leading as the top public universities in the nation, followed closely by UCSD.
 

What's the hardest university to get into in California?

The hardest school to get into in California is often cited as the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), known for its extremely low acceptance rates (around 2-4%) and intense focus on science and engineering, followed closely by Stanford University, Minerva University, and the selective liberal arts colleges in the Claremont Colleges (like Pomona, Harvey Mudd, CMC). Other top contenders include the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for public universities, and the University of Southern California (USC). 

Is Cal Poly SLO a tier 1 school?

In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo is ranked No. #1 in Regional Universities West. It's also ranked No. #1 in Most Innovative Schools.

Which Cal Poly is the hardest to get into?

Hardest CSU Schools to Get Into

1. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
2. San Diego State University.
3. CSU Long Beach.
4. Cal Poly Pomona. Acceptance Rate: 74%
5. San José State University.

What is Cal Poly SLO famous for?

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) is known for its "Learn by Doing" philosophy, providing hands-on, practical experience in rigorous academics, especially strong programs in Engineering, Agriculture, Architecture, and Business, leading to high career readiness and return on investment, all within a popular Central Coast college town setting. It consistently ranks as a top public university in the West, praised by employers for producing job-ready graduates.
 

What is the 25-35 rule at Cal Poly?

The Cal Poly "25-35 rule" is a guideline recommending students study 25-35 hours per week, or about two hours of study time for every one hour of class time (2 hours/unit), treating coursework like a full-time job (40-50 hour work week) to manage the demanding quarter system. This means dedicating significant time outside of class for self-learning, reading, and assignments to keep up with the fast pace and build deep understanding. 

What is the #1 public high school in California?

There isn't one single #1 public high school in California, as rankings vary by publication, but Whitney High School (Cerritos), Riverside STEM Academy, and Oxford Academy (Cypress) consistently rank at the top in sources like U.S. News & World Report and Niche, often trading the top spots in different years for academic excellence, STEM focus, and college readiness. Whitney High is frequently cited as #1 by U.S. News for its selective, magnet-focused, college-prep environment, while Riverside STEM Academy also topped recent U.S. News lists. 

Is Cal Poly SLO worth the money?

Cal Poly makes every effort to keep costs to a minimum, and we are proud of our consistently high rankings as a best value college for the money and proven return on investment.

What is the #1 ranked college in California?

There isn't one single "number one" college in California, as rankings vary by source, but Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) consistently appear at the top, often depending on whether you're looking for private or public institutions. Stanford and Caltech often lead private rankings, while UC Berkeley and UCLA are top public university contenders, with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also highly rated in regional categories. 

What are the 10 hardest majors to get into at Cal Poly?

Cal Poly's hardest majors to get into consistently include highly impacted STEM fields like Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, and Software Engineering, alongside popular majors such as Psychology, Biochemistry, Kinesiology, and Biological Sciences, with competitiveness varying slightly by applicant pool (freshman vs. transfer) and year, but generally showing extremely low acceptance rates, especially for CS and Psychology.
 

Is Cal Poly harder to get into than UCLA?

Generally, UCLA is harder to get into than Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) based on overall lower acceptance rates and higher applicant competitiveness, but Cal Poly SLO is extremely competitive in specific, popular majors like Engineering and Computer Science, sometimes rivaling or exceeding the difficulty of certain UC programs. While UCLA's overall admissions are tougher, Cal Poly SLO's focused programs make it very selective, often considered the most competitive Cal State school and rivaling some UCs. 

What is a little ivy?

The Little Ivies are an unofficial group of small, academically competitive private liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States.

What is the easiest Ivy academically?

Here is a list:

1. Cornell University. Cornell is the easiest and youngest Ivy League school. ...
2. Dartmouth University. The second most accessible Ivy League school to get into is Dartmouth, established in 1769 and based in Hanover, New Hampshire. ...
3. Brown University. ...
4. University of Pennsylvania.

What are the sister Ivies?

The Seven Sisters colleges—Wellesley, Vassar, Smith, Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, and Radcliffe—were elite women's colleges founded as counterparts to the all-male Ivy League schools. Today, most remain top liberal arts institutions, with Vassar now co-ed and Radcliffe merged into Harvard.