California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Public · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: TheMexicanGentleman (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationCA · West

SettingSuburban

Undergrads25,042

Student:faculty25:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate33.7%

6-yr grad rate68.4%

Drop-out rate12.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$20k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity87.2%

Gender diversity43.8%

International1.1%

Identity—

Overview

Cal Poly Pomona carries the Cal State system's polytechnic identity east of Los Angeles, built on the philosophy of "learn by doing" across its technical and professional programs, an ethos it shares with its sister campus, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The campus occupies the former ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg, and it still maintains an Arabian horse center as a link to that history, complete with an annual horse show that draws visitors well beyond the university community. Its location straddling Pomona and the eastern edge of Los Angeles County puts students within reach of the region's aerospace, engineering, and design industries.

Academics

Engineering, architecture and environmental design, agriculture, and hospitality management through the Collins College are the strongest programs, all structured around hands-on labs and applied project work rather than lecture-heavy instruction. The polytechnic model shapes even non-technical majors toward practical, applied learning, and several of the university's most popular majors, including business and several engineering disciplines, are impacted, meaning admission to the specific program can be considerably more competitive than admission to the university overall. The College of Environmental Design's architecture and landscape architecture programs are well regarded within the CSU system specifically.

Campus & student life

The campus's Kellogg ranch history and horse center give it a distinctive character among CSU campuses, and its location east of Los Angeles gives students access to the broader LA job and internship market without the cost of living directly in the city. Many students commute from across the Los Angeles basin, giving campus life a somewhat regional, less residential feel than a traditional four-year college town. Bronco athletics compete at the Division II level and draw a modest but genuine following.

Getting in

Admissions is impacted and program-specific for a Cal State, meaning some majors, especially engineering and architecture, are considerably more competitive to enter than the university's general admission standards. Students applying to impacted majors should know that changing into one of those programs later can be considerably harder than applying to it directly from high school.

After graduation

Graduates place well into Southern California's engineering, architecture, and hospitality industries, aided by the program's emphasis on applied project work and internships that connect directly to the Los Angeles job market. The university's proximity to the region's aerospace and manufacturing employers gives engineering graduates in particular strong local placement, and hospitality graduates benefit from Southern California's large tourism and events industry.

Worth knowing

Because so many popular majors are impacted, students set on a specific program should apply directly into it rather than planning to switch in later, since internal transfers into full programs aren't guaranteed. The largely commuter student population means on-campus weekend life is quieter than at a residential four-year university.

cpp.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate75.2%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionNov 30

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Cal State Apply.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗