Humboldt State University

What Humboldt State University does

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt — operating as Cal Poly Humboldt — is a public polytechnic university and the northernmost campus of the California State University (CSU) system, located in Arcata, California. Founded in 1913 as a teacher-training normal school and renamed Cal Poly Humboldt in January 2022 when it became the third public polytechnic in the CSU, the institution enrolls a primarily California-resident student body across three colleges (Natural Resources & Sciences; Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; Professional Studies), offering 48+ undergraduate majors plus graduate, credential, and certificate programs. The institution has been a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution since October 2013 and operates 10 culturally-based Centers for Inclusive Academic & Career Excellence to support first-generation, transfer, veteran, and low-income students; 95% of graduating students report hands-on practical experience and the alumni base exceeds 82,000 worldwide.

The underlying technology stack is commodity higher-ed infrastructure rather than proprietary IP: Canvas LMS hosts course delivery, Panopto provides lecture capture and video editing, DesignPLUS supports accessible course design, the Graduation Progress System (GPS) analyzes enrollment patterns to build flexible pathways reducing time-to-degree, and ALEKS-PPL delivers AI-based math placement. The Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) runs faculty professional development, while the College of eLearning and Extended Education delivers the first CSU General Education online package with 145+ online course offerings and 5,579+ online enrollments.

Revenue mechanics are those of a public university: state appropriations routed through the CSU system, tuition and fees from undergraduate/graduate enrollment, federal and state grants (HSI STEM, USDA HSI, EPA, California Department of Cannabis Control), and philanthropic/endowment income managed by the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation (a 501(c)(3) incorporated in 2004 with roots in a 1927 improvement fund). GTM is community-led and event-driven — counselor relationships, Fall/Spring Preview days, culturally-themed recruitment events, and outreach via five social channels — serving first-time freshmen, transfer students, graduate/credential candidates, Hispanic and low-income students, veterans, and international students. Auxiliary subsidiaries include the Foundation, Cal Poly Humboldt Real Estate Holdings, and the Schatz Energy Research Center.

Name

Humboldt State University

Legal name

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt

Website

https://humboldt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cal Poly Humboldt is a public polytechnic university in the California State University system, serving undergraduate, graduate, transfer, veteran, and Hispanic/low-income students through three colleges with hands-on, place-based learning on California's North Coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Polytechnic education
• Liberal arts sciences

Headquarters

HQ city

Arcata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition, fees, and related educational charges assessed to students for enrollment in academic programs.
2. State Funding (California State University System): State-appropriated funding allocated through the CSU system to support university operations, academic programs, and student services.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable contributions managed by the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation, including endowed funds, current-use gifts, and planned gifts. The Foundation was incorporated in 2004 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with roots in the 1927 Humboldt Campus Improvement Fund.
4. Endowments: Permanent endowed funds established with gifts of $25,000 or more, providing ongoing support for scholarships, awards, assistantships, and departmental programs as designated by donors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cal Poly Humboldt is a public polytechnic university within the California State University system that delivers higher education through undergraduate and graduate degree programs across three colleges (College of Natural Resources & Sciences, College of Arts Humanities & Social Sciences, and College of Professional Studies), supplemented by teaching credential programs, certificates, and online/extended education offerings. The institution emphasizes hands-on experiential learning, with 95% of students graduating with practical experience, and serves as the third public polytechnic in the CSU system with focus on environmental and natural resource sciences.

Product overview

Cal Poly Humboldt is a public polytechnic university within the California State University system that provides higher education services. The institution offers a portfolio of educational programs supported by various technology platforms and student support services. Key offerings include the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) for faculty development, the HSI STEM Grant Program supporting underrepresented students in STEM fields, the Graduation Initiative 2025 focused on improving completion rates, Strategic Enrollment Management planning, and a Canvas-based Learning Management System for course delivery. The institution operates as a single unified educational institution rather than a multi-product technology company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 82,000+ alumni around the world
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Point Blue Conservation SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoint Blue Conservation Science's Working Landscapes division collaborates with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program (USDA HSI grant), providing research collaboration and internship opportunities for Latinx and underrepresented students in natural resource sciences, with emphasis on aquaculture, wildlife on farms, and rangeland conservation.
• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency under the USDA, partners with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program as an agency/industry partner providing internships for Latinx and underrepresented undergraduates in natural resources and agriculture, offering stipends of $1000 and course credit.
• Hog Island Oyster Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHog Island Oyster Co., a private oyster aquaculture company, partners with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program as an industry partner providing summer internships for Latinx and underrepresented undergraduates in natural resources, with a $1000 stipend and course credit offered per internship.
• Pacific SeafoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Seafood, a private seafood company, partners with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program as an industry partner providing summer internships for Latinx and underrepresented undergraduates in natural resources, with a $1000 stipend and course credit offered per internship.
• Northcoast Regional Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthcoast Regional Land Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization, partners with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program as a community partner providing internship opportunities for Latinx and underrepresented undergraduates in rangeland conservation and natural resources.
• EscalaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEscala, an education training organization, provides an immersive training institute for Cal Poly Humboldt Wildlife and Fisheries faculty focused on equity mindsets, asset-based student framing, and culturally responsive pedagogy, particularly for Latinx students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Cal Poly Pomona: The second CSU polytechnic and a direct peer for Cal Poly Humboldt's polytechnic identity, applied sciences programs, and CSU-system branding strategy.
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: The flagship California polytechnic university and the first CSU polytechnic. Most direct comparator for Cal Poly Humboldt's polytechnic transformation, applied learning model, and CSU-system positioning.
• Sonoma State University: A fellow CSU campus in Northern California with similar size, regional focus, and liberal arts/sciences curriculum. Closest CSU peer by scale, location, and student profile.
• Chico State University: Another smaller, regional CSU campus serving Northern California with comparable size and student demographics. Comparable in scale and rural/regional CSU positioning.

Regional players

• UC Santa Cruz: California coastal public university with a similar scenic/natural environment identity and emphasis on environmental science, sustainability, and undergraduate research — though operating under the UC system rather than CSU.

Broad incumbents

• UC Davis: Premier California public university with strong environmental science, agriculture, and natural resources programs that overlap with Cal Poly Humboldt's specialization, though at much larger scale under the UC system.
• Oregon State University: Major Pacific Northwest public university with strong forestry, marine science, and natural resources programs that directly overlap Cal Poly Humboldt's domain specialization, competing for similar out-of-state applicants.

Others

• Humboldt State University (Alumni Network): The alumni ecosystem of the predecessor institution continues to engage with Cal Poly Humboldt as donors, mentors, and brand ambassadors — a 82,000+ member community tied to the legacy HSU brand.
• Point Blue Conservation Science: Strategic partner organization collaborating with Cal Poly Humboldt's Échale Ganas program. Representative of the conservation/environmental science ecosystem that constitutes an institutional counterpart and pipeline partner.
• California State University (System): The 23-campus CSU system is the governing entity and parent organization for Cal Poly Humboldt, providing funding, policy framework, and shared infrastructure — the institutional counterparty for system-level decisions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HumboldtOnline
• Facebookfacebook.com/31103385896
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/17745
• Instagraminstagram.com/humboldtpolytechnic
• Xx.com/humboldtstate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humboldt State University