In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 13% of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering (657 of 4,953), compared with 30% for all majors. That is down from 23% in 2021. 8.7% of transfer applicants were admitted (65 of 743). Of the freshmen admitted, 34% enrolled, so only 4.5% of applicants ended up starting in the major.
Mechanical Engineering admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,953 | 657 | 13% | 223 | 743 | 65 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 4,365 | 655 | 15% | 224 | 583 | 53 | 9.1% |
| 2023 | 3,632 | 646 | 18% | 236 | 474 | 62 | 13% |
| 2022 | 3,309 | 645 | 19% | 234 | 413 | 66 | 16% |
| 2021 | 2,979 | 677 | 23% | 236 | 583 | 71 | 12% |
Area: Engineering. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
Mechanical Engineering at other CSU campuses
Engineering admit rates at every UC campus →
How admission works
- Cal Poly admits by major, and admission is competitive in every major. You compete only with applicants to the same major.
- Unlike most CSU campuses, Cal Poly uses your 9th–11th grade weighted GPA in college-prep courses, with extra weight for up to eight semesters of honors, AP or IB courses. Ninth-grade grades count.
- Cal Poly's Multi-Criteria Admission also considers courses beyond the minimum requirements, work experience, internships, volunteering and extracurricular activities.
- Applicants from high schools in San Luis Obispo County, northern Santa Barbara County and southern Monterey County can receive extra points as local applicants.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cal Poly SLO Mechanical Engineering acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 13% (657 of 4,953) of first-time freshman applicants to Mechanical Engineering, compared with 30% for all majors.
What is the Cal Poly SLO Mechanical Engineering transfer acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 8.7% (65 of 743) of transfer applicants to Mechanical Engineering.
Is Mechanical Engineering easier to get into at Cal Poly SLO or SDSU?
In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 13% of freshman Mechanical Engineering applicants and SDSU admitted 41%.
More for Cal Poly SLO
Source: California State University, Applications and Admissions Dashboard by Discipline, fall 2021–2025 (first-time freshmen and undergraduate transfers); SJSU impaction results from sjsu.edu. CSU counts every application submitted, including ones later withdrawn, left incomplete or not meeting minimum eligibility, so admit rates among complete applications are somewhat higher. “Non-residents” includes out-of-state and international applicants. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10. This site is independent and not affiliated with the California State University. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.