Cuesta College
Public certificate school in San Luis Obispo, CA that costs an average of $5,891 a year after financial aid and graduates 53% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$5,891
Acceptance rate
Open
Graduation rate
53%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$53,127
PublicRural (fringe)7,180 undergraduates
Cost of Cuesta College
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $15,030 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $1,350 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $11,010 |
| Books and supplies | $1,089 |
| Average net price after aid | $5,891 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $5,891 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Cuesta College's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | Open admission (everyone admitted) |
|---|
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 53% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 73% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $43,365 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $53,127 |
| Rank in California (earnings) | 27th of 224 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $14,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $165 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 17% |
| Students with federal loans | 1.4% |
Majors and programs at Cuesta College
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Certificate programs (42)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 16 | — | — |
| Agricultural Mechanization | — | — | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 5 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 271 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | — | — | — |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | 30 | — | — |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 10 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 246 | — | — |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 4 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 1,133 | — | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 89 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Computer Programming | — | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 8 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 48 | — | — |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 97 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 23 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 1 | — | — |
| Education | 173 | — | — |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | 28 | — | — |
| Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 7 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 1 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 2 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 5 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 4 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 14 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 2 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 32 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 250 | — | — |
| Human Services | — | — | — |
| Journalism | — | — | — |
| Legal Support Services | 16 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2,113 | — | — |
| Library and Archives Assisting | 108 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 162 | — | — |
| Music | 10 | — | — |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 8 | — | — |
| Precision Metal Working | 104 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 1 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 13 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 10 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 47 | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (72)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 58 | $104,516 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1,630 | $44,176 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 321 | $43,527 | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 32 | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 14 | — | — |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other | — | — | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 3 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 9 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 11 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | — | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 28 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Biology | 29 | — | — |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 7 | — | — |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 5 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 6 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 87 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 21 | — | — |
| Computer Science | — | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 15 | — | — |
| Construction Trades | — | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 58 | — | — |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 10 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 13 | — | — |
| Economics | 151 | — | — |
| Education | 5 | — | — |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | 16 | — | — |
| Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Engineering | 17 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 34 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 62 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 9 | — | — |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 2 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 269 | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | — | — | — |
| History | 39 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 89 | — | — |
| Human Services | 16 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | — | — | — |
| Journalism | 8 | — | — |
| Legal Support Services | 17 | — | — |
| Library and Archives Assisting | 29 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 44 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 38 | — | — |
| Music | 15 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 7 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 10 | — | — |
| Physics | 16 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 23 | — | — |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 22 | — | — |
| Precision Metal Working | 8 | — | — |
| Psychology | 233 | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 39 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 41 | — | — |
| Sociology | 86 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 57 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 28 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 12 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 8 | — | — |
Similar colleges in California
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | $5,238 | — | $45,826 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | $3,975 | — | $46,603 |
| Citrus College | Glendora | $850 | — | $46,835 |
| Reedley College | Reedley | $6,055 | — | $42,903 |
| Merritt College | Oakland | $6,360 | — | $46,743 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles | $3,531 | — | $42,277 |
| Merced College | Merced | $714 | — | $43,058 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | $17,769 | — | $44,228 |
About Cuesta College
| Type | Public certificate school |
|---|---|
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| Setting | Rural (fringe) |
| Undergraduates | 7,180 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 27 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
| Website | cuesta.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cuesta College cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $15,030 a year (tuition and fees: $1,350 in-state, $11,010 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $5,891 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $5,891.
How much do Cuesta College graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $53,127 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 27th of 224 similar colleges in California.
What is Cuesta College's graduation rate?
53% of full-time students graduate within 150% of the normal program length, and 73% of first-year students return for a second year.