Cuesta College

Type	2 year, Public
Campus locale	Suburb: Small
Degrees offered	Undergraduate
Calendar system	Semester

Student body size	Medium
Student to faculty ratio	25 to 1
Students retention rate	66%
On-time graduation rate	43%

Located in San Luis Obispo, California, Cuesta is a public, institution that offers undergraduate degrees. The college operates on a semester-based calendar system, providing students with structured academic terms.

One of the notable aspects of Cuesta College is its open admission policy. This means that all high school graduates and individuals who hold a GED qualification are eligible to apply for admission. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of students to pursue their higher education goals, regardless of their academic background.

Cuesta College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

While the on-time graduation rate at Cuesta is reported to be 43%, it is essential to consider the context of this statistic. For comparison, California state's graduation rate for the 2021-2022 was 56% whereas the national average was 35%.

The student retention rate of 66% at Cuesta suggests that a significant percentage of students choose to continue their studies at the institution after their first-year.

Accredited by: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Website

In-State Tuition & Fees

$1,338

Cost of attendance at Cuesta College in 2022 for students from California.

See how the college's in-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$6,749
National average	$4,604

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees

$8,702

Cost of attendance at Cuesta College in 2022 for the out-of-state and international students

See how the college's out-of-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

California's average	$20,840
National average	$8,757

Average Grant & Scholarships

In 2022, 77 of freshman students at Cuesta College received on average $4,087 in grant and scholarships from the college, the state and/or the federal government. Below is detail stats of the aid provided to full-time, freshman students.

$4,087

	Students Receiving Aid		Average Amount	Total Amount
Pell Grant	110	27%	$5,027	$552,929
Other Federal Grant	148	36%	$4,754	$703,579
State Grant/Scholarships	299	72%	$1,842	$550,775
Institutional Grant/Scholarships	130	31%	$380	$49,390
Total Grant & Scholarships	319	77%	$4,087	$1,303,744

Graduation Rate

The following chart shows the graduation rate of Cuesta College students who enrolled in 2018 and after. The stat covers all undergraduates registered as full-time students to study a 4-year bachelor's degree program for the first time.

The breakdown shows the graduation rate by race/ethnicity of US students. All international students are represented under one group.

As of August 31, 2021, the average graduation rate of Cuesta College students is 43.2%. Female students graduated at a rate of 47.4%, whereas male students graduated at a rate of 39.1%.

43.2%

asian 54.6% 12 students
African American 50.0% 4 students
white 47.8% 161 students
hispanic 35.9% 88 students
International Students 35.7% 5 students
Mixed Race 48.8% 20 students

Athletic Associations

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

Service Offerings

Cuesta College provides the following additional services to its students

On-campus day care for students' children
Remedial services
Academic/career counseling services
Employment services for students

Educational Offerings

Cuesta College offers educational programs in the following categories. Check the programs section to learn more about specific programs that you are interested in.

Academic
Occupational
Postbaccalaureate Recreational or avocational education
Adult basic remedial or high school equivalent

Special Learning Opportunities

Weekend/evening classes

Veteran Services

Member of Service-members Opportunity Colleges
Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military service-members, and their families
Recognized student veteran organization

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