Cal State (CSU) guide · By CalChannel Editorial Team · Updated September 30, 2026
Cal Poly Pomona admitted 74% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, or 35,688 of 48,258, according to its Common Data Set. Enrolled first-years averaged a 3.70 high school GPA, and SAT and ACT scores are not used. For 2026-27, California residents pay $8,566 in tuition and mandatory campus fees, and the cost of attendance is $31,332 living on campus or $25,824 living with family.
Cal Poly Pomona, officially California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, is one of three polytechnic universities in the California State University system, along with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Humboldt. It’s known for engineering, architecture, hospitality management and agriculture, and for a hands-on approach to learning.
Here are the official numbers: who gets in, what it costs in 2026-27, how big it is and what Cal Poly Pomona is known for.
| Fact | Cal Poly Pomona |
|---|---|
| Type | Public polytechnic university, California State University system |
| Location | Pomona, eastern Los Angeles County |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Acceptance rate | 74% (Fall 2025: 35,688 admitted of 48,258 applicants) |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 71.4% (Fall 2025: 9,053 of 12,677) |
| Average high school GPA | 3.70 (Fall 2025 enrolled first-years) |
| SAT/ACT | Not used for admission (CSU policy) |
| Students | 27,221 total, 25,312 undergraduates (Fall 2025) |
| Tuition and fees, California residents (2026-27) | $8,566 |
| Cost of attendance (2026-27) | $31,332 on campus; $37,002 off campus; $25,824 living with family |
| Retention / graduation rate | 89.1% / 68% in six years (2019 cohort) |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 26:1 |
| Athletics | Broncos, California Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division II) |
Sources: Cal Poly Pomona Common Data Set 2025-26; Cal Poly Pomona Office of Financial Aid, 2026-27 Cost of Attendance. Full list at the end of the article.
In This Article
What Is Cal Poly Pomona?
Cal Poly Pomona is California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a public university in the California State University system. It began in 1938 as a southern branch of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and became a separate college in 1966. Today it’s one of three polytechnic campuses in the CSU, alongside Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Humboldt.
Cal Poly Pomona is not a UC campus. Students apply through Cal State Apply and pay CSU tuition. Much of the campus sits on the former Arabian horse ranch of cereal maker W.K. Kellogg, and it’s one of the largest campuses by land area in the CSU.
What Is the Cal Poly Pomona Acceptance Rate?
Cal Poly Pomona admitted 74% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025: 48,258 students applied, 35,688 were admitted and 4,004 enrolled, according to its Common Data Set 2025-26. For California residents, the rate was 74.5%.
| Cal Poly Pomona, Fall 2025 | Applied | Admitted | Acceptance rate | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-year, California residents | 45,487 | 33,895 | 74.5% | 3,962 |
| First-year, out-of-state | 2,378 | 1,600 | 67.3% | 29 |
| First-year, international | 393 | 193 | 49.1% | 13 |
| All first-year applicants | 48,258 | 35,688 | 74% | 4,004 |
| Transfer applicants | 12,677 | 9,053 | 71.4% | 2,448 |
Source: Cal Poly Pomona Common Data Set 2025-26, items C1 and D2.
Admitted students had strong grades: enrolled first-years averaged a 3.70 high school GPA, and 31.5% had a 4.0. High-demand majors can be more competitive than the campus-wide rate suggests, so check the requirements for the major you want.
How to Get Into Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona follows CSU admission rules: complete the A-G course pattern with at least a 2.5 GPA as a California resident. SAT and ACT scores are not used.
- Application: Cal State Apply; for Fall 2027, the CSU priority filing period ends November 30, 2026
- Major: you apply to a specific major, and popular majors can be more selective
- Tests: SAT and ACT scores are not considered
- GPA: Fall 2025 enrolled first-years averaged 3.70, with 71% at 3.50 or higher
- Transfers: Cal Poly Pomona admitted 71.4% of transfer applicants for Fall 2025
How Much Does Cal Poly Pomona Cost?
For 2026-27, California residents pay $8,566 in tuition and fees: the $6,838 CSU systemwide tuition fee plus $1,728 in mandatory campus fees. The full cost of attendance is $31,332 in campus housing, $37,002 off campus and $25,824 living with family. Nonresidents pay an additional $471 per unit.
| Cal Poly Pomona cost of attendance, 2026-27 (California residents) | With family | On campus | Off campus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systemwide tuition fee | $6,838 | $6,838 | $6,838 |
| Mandatory campus fees | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 |
| Food | $10,670 | $5,600 | $7,863 |
| Housing | $0 | $11,310 | $12,563 |
| Books, supplies and equipment | $1,112 | $1,112 | $1,112 |
| Transportation | $2,410 | $1,896 | $3,050 |
| Personal expenses | $2,996 | $2,778 | $3,778 |
| Direct Loan fees | $70 | $70 | $70 |
| Total | $25,824 | $31,332 | $37,002 |
Source: Cal Poly Pomona Office of Financial Aid, 2026-2027 Cost of Attendance Budgets for California Residents (as of February 9, 2026).
For eligible Californians, a Cal Grant covers the full $6,838 systemwide tuition fee at CSU campuses in 2026-27, and Pell Grants and the CSU State University Grant can help with the rest. Students from Western states in the WUE program pay a reduced nonresident rate.
“Cal Poly Pomona is one of the best-value engineering and architecture schools in Southern California. Tuition is set by the CSU, so the real difference in your bill comes from housing: living with family saves about $5,500 a year compared with the residence halls.”
CalChannel Editorial Team
How Big Is Cal Poly Pomona?
Cal Poly Pomona had 27,221 students in Fall 2025, including 25,312 undergraduates, according to its Common Data Set. The student-to-faculty ratio is 26:1.
About 89% of first-year students returned for their second year. Of the 2019 entering class, 37% graduated in four years and 68% within six years.
What Is Cal Poly Pomona Known For?
Cal Poly Pomona is known for engineering, architecture and environmental design, business, agriculture and the Collins College of Hospitality Management. The W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center on campus continues the horse-breeding program that came with the Kellogg ranch.
The campus sits in Pomona in eastern Los Angeles County, near the border with San Bernardino County. The Cal Poly Pomona Broncos compete in NCAA Division II in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cal Poly Pomona acceptance rate?
Cal Poly Pomona admitted 74% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, or 35,688 of 48,258, according to its Common Data Set.
What GPA do you need for Cal Poly Pomona?
The CSU minimum is a 2.5 A-G GPA for California residents, but Fall 2025 enrolled first-years averaged a 3.70.
How much does Cal Poly Pomona cost?
For 2026-27, tuition and fees for California residents are $8,566. The cost of attendance is $31,332 on campus and $25,824 living with family.
Is Cal Poly Pomona the same as Cal Poly SLO?
No. They are separate CSU campuses. Cal Poly Pomona is in Los Angeles County, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is on the Central Coast.
Is Cal Poly Pomona a UC?
No. Cal Poly Pomona is part of the California State University system, not the University of California.
The Bottom Line on Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona is a hands-on polytechnic university in Los Angeles County with strong programs in engineering, architecture and hospitality. It admitted 74% of first-year applicants for Fall 2025, and admitted students averaged a 3.70 GPA.
For California residents, plan for $8,566 in tuition and fees and about $31,300 a year on campus before aid. Compare it with Cal Poly SLO, Cal State Fullerton, CSU San Bernardino and other Cal State campuses.
Sources
- Cal Poly Pomona Institutional Research, Planning, and Analytics. “Common Data Set 2025-2026.” cpp.edu.
- Cal Poly Pomona Office of Financial Aid. “Prospective Undergraduate Costs.” cpp.edu.
- Cal Poly Pomona Student Accounting. “Undergraduate Tuition & Fees.” cpp.edu.
- California State University. “Apply.” calstate.edu.
- Wikipedia. “California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.” Wikipedia.org.
CalChannel Editorial Team California college guides
The CalChannel editorial team researches and writes guides to California colleges, admissions and financial aid. We build our college profiles and aid guides from colleges’ own published data, federal IPEDS data and the California Student Aid Commission. Read our editorial policy.
