In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 23% of first-time freshman applicants to Software Engineering (124 of 539), compared with 30% for all majors. That is up from 18% in 2021. Of the freshmen admitted, 31% enrolled, so only 7.2% of applicants ended up starting in the major.
Software Engineering admissions, 2021–2025
| Fall | Freshmen applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Transfers applied | Admitted | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 539 | 124 | 23% | 39 | 96 | <10 | <10 admitted |
| 2024 | 761 | 85 | 11% | 25 | 106 | <10 | <10 admitted |
| 2023 | 795 | 75 | 9.4% | 20 | 106 | <10 | <10 admitted |
| 2022 | 691 | 88 | 13% | 27 | 89 | <10 | <10 admitted |
| 2021 | 529 | 95 | 18% | 24 | 114 | 20 | 18% |
Area: Computer and Information Sciences. “<10” means CSU did not report a group smaller than 10.
Software Engineering at other CSU campuses
| Campus | Freshman applicants | Freshman admit rate | Transfer admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly SLO | 539 | 23% | <10 admitted |
| SJSU | 263 | 77% | 77% |
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 Software Engineering acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 23% (124 of 539) of first-time freshman applicants to Software Engineering, compared with 30% for all majors.
Is Software Engineering easier to get into at Cal Poly SLO or SJSU?
In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 23% of freshman Software Engineering applicants and SJSU admitted 77%.
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 CSU counts every application submitted, including ones later withdrawn, left incomplete or not meeting minimum eligibility, so admit rates among complete applications are somewhat higher.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.