California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

What California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo does

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ("Cal Poly") is a public polytechnic university founded in 1901 and operated under the California State University (CSU) system. The institution comprises six academic colleges; the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), the unit most heavily represented in the input, delivers undergraduate majors across 17+ departments (Journalism, Psychology, Political Science, History, Graphic Communication, Philosophy, Music, Theatre & Dance, Art & Design, Ethnic Studies, Women's/Gender/Queer Studies, among others), a graduate portfolio including a Master of Public Policy, the Student Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), and a layer of Instructionally Related Activities (IRAs). Its signature "Learn by Doing" pedagogical philosophy integrates lectures with labs, internships, co-ops, and project-based community engagement; notable technical components include 3D digital heritage preservation infrastructure (laser scanning and photogrammetry, partnered with CyArk since 2020) and an Expressive Technology Studios environment with VR capabilities.

Name

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Legal name

California Polytechnic State University

Website

https://cla.calpoly.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is a public CSU polytechnic whose College of Liberal Arts delivers undergraduate and graduate programs in arts, humanities, social sciences, and communication through its signature "Learn by Doing" experiential pedagogy, serving students, alumni donors, and regional employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interdisciplinary/Experimental Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAN)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Liberal arts programs
• Undergraduate degrees
• Graduate education
• Experiential learning

Headquarters

HQ city

San Luis Obispo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition and mandatory fees for academic programs across the College of Liberal Arts
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and private research funding from agencies including NSF, Cal Poly President's Diversity Award program, and various government and private foundations supporting faculty research and student projects
3. Donations and Endowments: Annual gifts and endowed funds supporting departments, student programs, scholarships, and faculty innovation. Includes Dean’s Excellence Fund, Learn by Doing Fund, Industry and Innovation Fund, and Access, Community and Equity Program
4. Private Philanthropy: Annual donor contributions enabling timely support for Learn by Doing projects, extracurricular programs, and endowment income generating lasting support. Endowment payouts during fiscal year 2018-19 were $298,186

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The College of Liberal Arts at Cal Poly provides undergraduate and graduate academic programs across arts, humanities, social sciences, and communication disciplines. It delivers hands-on, experiential learning through its signature 'Learn by Doing' philosophy, combining classroom instruction with research, internships, study abroad, and community engagement. The college also offers student support services, academic advising, clubs and teams, and publishes Impact Magazine.

Product overview

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) is a public university comprising six academic colleges, with the College of Liberal Arts being one of the largest. The institution's core educational offering is its Learn by Doing philosophy—a hands-on, experiential approach to learning that distinguishes Cal Poly from traditional universities. The College of Liberal Arts provides a comprehensive portfolio of products and services including undergraduate majors across diverse disciplines (arts, humanities, social sciences, communication), graduate programs such as the Master of Public Policy, the Student Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) for faculty-student collaborative research, Impact Magazine for showcasing achievements, Student Services with academic advising, and various clubs and teams as Instructionally Related Activities (IRAs). The institution also supports international education through study abroad and Alternative Breaks programs. As a public university, Cal Poly does not offer commercial technology products, APIs, or integrations in the traditional software product sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impact Magazine: Annual publication highlighting people, ideas and experiences that shape the College of Liberal Arts
• Learn by Doing

Products and services

• Undergraduate Majors Bachelor's degree programs in arts, humanities, social sciences, and communication fields, targeted at prospective and current undergraduate students seeking a liberal arts education with hands-on learning.
• Graduate Programs Master's-level and other advanced degree programs for students seeking graduate-level education in liberal arts disciplines, including the Master of Public Policy.
• Student Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) A faculty-mentored undergraduate research program that pairs students with faculty members for collaborative scholarly research projects.
• Study Abroad Programs International education programs offering immersive cultural and academic experiences, including Alternative Breaks service-learning trips and university exchange partnerships for Cal Poly students.
• Student Services and Academic Advising Academic advising and student support services that help students plan courses, choose majors, and graduate on time.
• Clubs and Teams (Instructionally Related Activities) Out-of-class student organizations and competition teams including publishing groups, performing ensembles, and academic competition teams that complement formal academic programs.
• Centers and Institutes Research centers and institutes within the College of Liberal Arts that support interdisciplinary scholarship, innovation, and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 students attending 30+ career-focused events during inaugural CLA Career Month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Panetta Institute for Public PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020Cal Poly has participated in the Panetta Institute's Congressional Internship Program since 2001. The institute covers program costs including course fees, air travel and housing in Washington D.C., selecting one Cal Poly student annually to work in congressional offices.
• CyArkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2020Partnership with nonprofit organization using innovative technology to digitally record and archive world-famous cultural heritage sites. Professor Terry Jones collaborates with CyArk on Easter Island preservation projects using laser scanning and photogrammetry to create detailed 3D records of sculptures and platforms threatened by coastal erosion.
• San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Master of Public Policy students partner with the county to evaluate innovative mental health programs funded by California's Mental Health Services Act. Students survey providers and evaluate programs to determine which are effective and worth implementing permanently.
• American University at KuwaitminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cal Poly history students collaborate with American University at Kuwait students for history classes, providing international academic exchange and collaborative learning opportunities.
• Central European History SocietyminorOthers · 1 January 2020Professional academic society that awarded Professor Molly Loberg the Hans Rosenberg Book Prize for her book on post-WWI Berlin urban space and politics.
• Film School AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Live-in program in Cape Town, South Africa that teaches young locals skills needed to work behind the scenes in the South African film industry. Cal Poly students volunteer to help renovate facilities and support film education programs.
• Bright Lights School (Cape Town)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019School for boys ages 8-13 in Cape Town, South Africa. Cal Poly students on Alternative Breaks trips volunteer at the school, spending time with students and renovating facilities.
• Fulbright ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Cultural exchange program improving cultural relations between the United States and other countries. CLA history alumna Sophie Rosales participated as an English Teaching Assistant in Vietnam, with experience helping her pursue graduate studies at Johns Hopkins.
• SAGE PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Academic publisher established a $25,000 endowment to fund the SAGE Publishing Student Award in perpetuity, recognizing Cal Poly students whose published work addresses social issues affecting the Cal Poly community. Annual award payout approximately $1,000.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stanford University: Elite California institution with overlapping communication, political science, and humanities programs that competes for top liberal arts applicants and faculty in the California market.
• UC Davis: Major California public university with broad liberal arts coverage including arts, humanities, and social sciences, competing for similar California student demographics and employer partnerships.
• UC Santa Barbara: Larger California public research university with overlapping departments in English, history, communication, and psychology, competing with CLA for in-state applicants seeking a research-oriented liberal arts experience.

Direct peers

• San Jose State University: Large CSU peer institution offering similar humanities, journalism, and social science programs with comparable career-services and internship infrastructure, competing for the same California applicant pool.
• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: Sister CSU polytechnic institution that shares Cal Poly SLO's Learn by Doing philosophy and polytechnic identity within the same California State University system, with overlapping programs in communication, psychology, and liberal arts disciplines.
• San Diego State University: Large CSU peer with comparable journalism, communication, and liberal arts programs, offering similar career-services infrastructure and competing for the same California commuter and residential student markets.
• Cal Poly Humboldt (Humboldt State University): Recently integrated into the Cal Poly system and offers comparable liberal arts programs in journalism, theatre, and social sciences, providing a direct CSU-system comparison point for CLA's programs.

Emerging players

• Pomona College: Highly selective California liberal arts college offering interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences with a smaller, more residential model; competes with CLA for top liberal arts applicants within California.
• Claremont McKenna College: Member of the Claremont Colleges consortium focused on social sciences, policy, and humanities, representing a highly selective private alternative for California liberal arts students considering CLA.

Regional players

• University of Oregon: Pacific Coast public research university with comparable journalism, communication, and liberal arts programs, providing a regional out-of-state benchmark for CLA's programs and student outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calpoly
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/calpoly
• Facebookfacebook.com/calpoly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/california-polytechnic-college-of-liberal-arts
• Instagraminstagram.com/calpoly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo