Cal Poly SLO transfer acceptance rate by major

In fall 2025, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo admitted 20% of undergraduate transfer applicants (2,144 of 10,761), and 20% of California residents. As for freshmen, transfer applicants compete within their major.

The hardest Cal Poly SLO majors for transfers in fall 2025 were Architecture (5.4%), Kinesiology (7.9%) and Psychology (8%).

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.

Fall 2025 transfer admit rate by major

MajorAreaAppliedAdmittedAdmit rate2021 rateEnrolled
All majors10,7612,14420%18%916
Business AdministrationBusiness and Management1,95058330%17%221
Computer ScienceComputer and Information Sciences1,04218918%9.9%57
PsychologyPsychology840678%10%38
Mechanical EngineeringEngineering743658.7%12%39
Communication StudiesLetters4447116%6.8%16
Electrical EngineeringEngineering3554814%17%22
ArchitectureArchitecture and Environmental Design351195.4%6.1%16
BiologyBiological Science3376820%16%20
Political ScienceSocial Sciences3343811%24%<10
EconomicsSocial Sciences3086421%31%19
KinesiologyEducation302247.9%6.7%19
Aerospace EngineeringEngineering2353716%14%23
SociologySocial Sciences2336126%14%26
Civil EngineeringEngineering2213616%24%25
Animal ScienceAgriculture and Natural Resources2025929%40%24
Computer EngineeringEngineering2002513%20%13
Studio ArtFine and Applied Arts1531711%6.4%<10
Public HealthHealth Professions140<10<10 admitted7.5%<10
EnglishLetters1303527%17%<10
MathematicsMathematics1132219%27%<10
Diversified Studies/EducationInterdisciplinary Studies1083230%28%21
Child DevelopmentEducation1073028%16%13
Agricultural BusinessAgriculture and Natural Resources1022020%28%17
HistorySocial Sciences986061%35%<10
Software EngineeringComputer and Information Sciences96<10<10 admitted18%<10
Construction EngineeringEngineering84<10<10 admitted11%<10
Biomedical EngineeringEngineering833542%29%13
Land Resource ManagementInterdisciplinary Studies802835%30%11
StatisticsMathematics802126%30%<10
JournalismCommunications782937%33%11
ChemistryPhysical Science722332%30%11
BiochemistryBiological Science70<10<10 admitted13%<10
PhysicsPhysical Science69<10<10 admitted26%<10
Anthropology and GeographySocial Sciences641320%19%<10
ForestryAgriculture and Natural Resources601220%25%<10
Agronomy/Crop ScienceAgriculture and Natural Resources552342%25%13
Materials EngineeringEngineering531834%45%<10
Recreation AdministrationPublic Affairs and Services491327%42%10
NutritionHome Economics48<10<10 admitted38%<10
PhilosophyLetters463167%69%<10
Interdisciplinary Studies/Special MajorInterdisciplinary Studies453680%—13
Graphic CommunicationsCommunications431023%<10 admitted<10
City and Regional PlanningArchitecture and Environmental Design431842%70%10
AgricultureAgriculture and Natural Resources421229%46%<10
Landscape ArchitectureArchitecture and Environmental Design421433%59%10
Earth SciencesPhysical Science401538%<10 admitted<10
Theatre ArtsFine and Applied Arts401538%38%<10
Environmental EngineeringEngineering36<10<10 admitted24%<10
Industrial EngineeringEngineering36<10<10 admitted28%<10
Marine ScienceInterdisciplinary Studies33<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
MicrobiologyBiological Science33<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
MusicFine and Applied Arts311032%<10 admitted<10
Agricultural CommunicationAgriculture and Natural Resources27<10<10 admitted61%<10
Architectural EngineeringEngineering24<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
Food ScienceAgriculture and Natural Resources19<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
ViticultureAgriculture and Natural Resources19<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
Engineering ScienceEngineering14<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
Manufacturing EngineeringEngineering14<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10
Industrial TechnologyEngineering13<10<10 admitted<10 admitted<10

Frequently asked questions

What is the Cal Poly SLO transfer acceptance rate?

In fall 2025, Cal Poly SLO admitted 20% (2,144 of 10,761) of undergraduate transfer applicants.

What is the hardest major to transfer into at Cal Poly SLO?

Among majors with at least 100 transfer applicants in fall 2025, the lowest admit rates were Architecture (5.4%), Kinesiology (7.9%) and Psychology (8%).

Other CSU campuses

SDSU transfers55% of transfer applicants admittedSJSU transfers65% of transfer applicants admitted

Compare with the University of California

UC admit rates by majorAll nine campuses, freshman and transferUC in-state vs out-of-stateEvery campus, 2021–2025UC chances calculatorYour GPA and intended major

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.