More selective than 2% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,170. College Scorecard.
Higher than 24% of California colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 18% of California colleges we cover and 33% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt acceptance rate & admissions
Of 14,019 applicants, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admitted 13,855 and 955 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for California residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt majors, earnings & careers
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt offers 49 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 14
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Arts & Design · 4
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Education · 1
- Engineering · 1
Highest-earning majors at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Forestry | $79,849 | $22,173 |
| Environmental Engineering | $78,225 | $24,350 |
| Computer Science | $74,620 | $17,750 |
| Economics | $61,175 | — |
| Business Administration | $60,005 | $16,000 |
| Social Work | $57,953 | $23,286 |
| Biology | $55,707 | $20,200 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $55,222 | $20,113 |
Quick list of all 49 majors
- Anthropology$41,464
- Biology$55,707
- Botany / Plant Biology$42,743
- Business Administration$60,005
- Chemistry$50,579
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science$74,620
- Criminology$55,174
- Economics$61,175
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$43,310
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Engineering$78,225
- Environmental Science / Conservation$50,915
- Ethnic / Gender Studies$43,064
- Film and Photography$46,245
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management$50,525
- Forestry$79,849
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science$53,371
- German—
- History$42,119
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- Journalism$39,178
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$55,222
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$42,049
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$49,706
- Music—
- Nursing—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies$40,566
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physics—
- Plant Sciences—
- Political Science$41,994
- Psychology$45,889
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$57,953
- Sociology$48,143
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$34,812
- Theatre—
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$47,003
- Writing$41,105
- Zoology / Animal Biology$38,495
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Arcata
2 bedrooms $1,554.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 45 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); coastal flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Humboldt County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Humboldt County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt with similar schools
Similar public colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 98% | $13,171 | 49% | $47,626 | This school |
| California State University-Channel Islands | 95% | $9,849 | 51% | $62,152 | |
| Sonoma State University | 93% | $12,885 | 58% | $65,986 | |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 97% | $13,663 | 59% | $59,247 | |
| California State University-Stanislaus | 98% | $6,067 | 53% | $63,188 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt would cost you $3,322 more per year than California State University-Channel Islands, on average.
- Higher sticker price at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, mostly from more California State University-Channel Islands students living at home, which lowers its average (+$1,594).
- California State University-Channel Islands gives aided families $1,713 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | California State University-Channel Islands | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,250 | $7,159 | +$1,091 |
| Books & supplies | $836 | $906 | −$70 |
| Housing & meals | $13,166 | $14,200 | −$1,034 |
| Personal & travel | $3,742 | $3,714 | +$28 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$824 | −$2,418 | +$1,594 |
| Sticker price | $25,170 | $23,561 | +$1,609 |
| Average grants | −$11,999 | −$13,712 | +$1,713 |
| You pay | $13,171 | $9,849 | +$3,322 |
“+” means California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
What is the California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt acceptance rate?
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt accepts 98% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 13,855 of 14,019 applicants were admitted.
How much does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,170 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,171 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,483 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,228.
How much do California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates earn?
Former California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt students earn a median $47,626 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduation rate?
49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year.
Is California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).