About Cal Poly Skip to main content Close Main navigation * Visit * Apply * Give Global Navigation * About Cal Poly * About Cal Poly * Facts and Figures * President and Leadership * Rankings and Awards * Academics * Academics * Academic Calendar * Academic Advising and Services * Centers and Institutes * Colleges * Internships and Co-ops * Library * Research * Study Abroad * Student Life * Student Life * Athletics and Recreation * Clubs and Organizations * Health, Wellbeing and Safety * Housing and Dining * Tuition and Financial Aid * Tuition and Financial Aid * Financial Aid * Student Accounts * University Divisions * Cal Poly Maritime Academy * Admissions * Mustang Athletics * News * Contact Us Find Information For * Students * Parents * Alumni * Staff * Faculty Close Search Cal Poly Websites Other Ways to Search * Campus Map * Directory * Find a major Top Navigation * My Cal Poly Portal * Students * Parents * Alumni * Staff * Faculty * Visit * Apply * Give Menu About Cal Poly Global Navigation In this Section * About Cal Poly * Facts and Figures * President and Leadership * Rankings and Awards * More Learn by doing. Ready Day One. Educating both the head and the hand has been at the heart of everything we do since 1901. Today, we are the world’s leader in Learn by Doing education. We did it first, we do it best and it’s what makes our students better prepared from day one to make a lasting impact in their careers and their communities. Centered In / Central to California California leads the nation in the number of Fortune 1000 companies that call the state home and is a world leader in a wide range of industries: food and wine, space, entrepreneurship, climate, the built environment, and tech and humanity. With our wealth of connections to many of these companies, and our location in San Luis Obispo on California’s Central Coast halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Cal Poly and our students are at the center of it all. More Diverse Better For It We are committed to reflecting the diversity of our state, ensuring the mental and physical wellbeing of our students and creating an ever more inclusive campus, where equity is the norm and every student benefits from the same opportunities for community, personal growth and professional success. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Highly Ranked, Highly Recruited Rankings confirm what recruiters already know: Cal Poly students and graduates rank among higher education’s best. In 2026, TIME named Cal Poly a top-10 public university nationwide. U.S. News & World Report also ranked it the West’s most innovative university and top public school, continuing a 33-year run as the region’s best public master’s-level university. Rankings and Awards faculty mentors Our faculty provide the foundation for Learn by Doing, creating real-world opportunities for students to take their learning outside the classroom. They see first-hand the difference hands-on experiences have in advancing a student’s understanding of a subject and of themselves. They partner with students, working side-by-side in the pursuit of the knowledge, skills and excellence that bring out the best in one another. Undergraduate Information Graduate Information Community Spirit Traditions are important. They unite us across generations, strengthening bonds and creating memories that last a lifetime. Cal Poly students and alumni enjoy and are enriched by both time-honored traditions and those brought to us by each new class of Mustangs. Our Traditions Footer Learn * Academic Calendar * Graduate Programs * Undergraduate * Apply to Cal Poly Explore * Campus Map * Catalog * Kennedy Library * Take a Tour Experience * Cal Poly Magazine * Careers at Cal Poly * Events * Give to Cal Poly Today Cal Poly Campus Clouds 80 ℉ Cal Poly Pier Tides 8:33 PM High 3:32 AM Low 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805-756-1111 Global Footer Primary * University Home * My Cal Poly Portal * Campus Map * Campus Safety Global Footer Secondary * Privacy Notice * Website Feedback * Web Accessibility Statement * Title IX * Campus Annual Security Report (PDF) * Campus Safety Plan (PDF) * Students with Dependents Learn by Doing℠ has been Cal Poly’s pedagogy since 1901 (c) 2026 California Polytechnic State University