Regional university
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $13,171 a year
Median debt at graduation: $18,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.49%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.76%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$18,064
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $25,170 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 5,594 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 44% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 7% |
| Total students | 6,156 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $13,171 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $25,170 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $18,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 49% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 57% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 56% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 58% |
| First-year retention | 76% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $47,626 |
| Admission rate | 98% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $70 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,186 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 43% |
Value: Very good · Top 24% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Forestry | |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Economics | |
| Business administration | |
| Social work | |
| Biology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Criminology | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Chemistry | |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Sociology | |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | |
| Film and video | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Botany/Plant Biology | |
| History | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Political science | |
| Anthropology | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | |
| Journalism | |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Communication studies, Computing and information science, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Family and human development, Geography, German, Global studies, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Philosophy, Physical Sciences, Physics, Plant Sciences, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social sciences, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Natural resources | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 12% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 23% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,118 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · California Collegiate Athletic Association |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 11%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 52%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $5,732IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 39% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV)About 7 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 18,607Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | SacramentoAbout 211 miles away · about 5 hours 50 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 48°F in January · 58°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA, about 6 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.08 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.08 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.16 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.32 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $13,171 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?
- California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admitted 98% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt’s graduates do?
- 49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $47,626; the median federal debt at graduation is $18,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 115755
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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