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About Cal Poly Humboldt
Cal Poly Humboldt students enjoy an extraordinary college experience, taking small classes taught by professors who know them by name. They live and learn in one of the world's most beautiful places—near ancient redwood forests, mountains and beaches. We are located 275 miles north of San Francisco in the town of Arcata, which is recognized as one of the West's best college towns.
Classes Smaller than 30: 72%
Faculty: 501
Average Entering GPA: 3.33 Freshmen and 3.05 Transfers
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Cal Poly Humboldt is a public institution and part of the 23-campus California State University system. With full-time undergraduate tuition of just $7,863 annually, we're one of the best higher education values in the nation.
We have about 5,739 students and 490 faculty members . We offer a wide array of academic choices, with 57 majors and 10 graduate programs in three Colleges. Faculty members are among the top teachers and researchers in their fields. Programs in natural resources and sciences are nationally known, while visual and performing arts are also popular areas of study. Throughout the curriculum, students find a long-standing commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
We were founded as a teacher's college in 1913. Over the last century, we have grown from an institution focused solely on teacher education to an accredited university with extensive research facilities. There have been plenty of name changes over the years: We have been called Humboldt State Normal School, Humboldt State Teachers College, Humboldt State College, CSU Humboldt and, since 1974, Humboldt State University.
Cal Poly Humboldt is surrounded by one of the most beautiful natural environments in the world—with ancient redwood forests, pristine coastline and wild rivers.
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Our students have plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning with professors engaged in research and community service. The Coral Sea, for example, is an oceangoing vessel used primarily for undergraduate research. Students can study with the world's foremost expert on redwood trees and with leading experts in sustainable energy systems. In our cutting edge Fire Lab, students study the properties of forest fires, and in the Schatz Energy Research Center student engineers are working on real-world issues like bringing sustainable lighting to the developing world. Students create their own theatre productions, study the mechanics of walking in the Human Performance Lab, work with young children in the Child Development Lab and more. Possibilities abound for real-world research experience available to undergraduates—something few other universities can boast.
Outside the classroom, our students enjoy a rich campus life. They are involved in more than 85 campus clubs and have access to a state-of-the-art recreational facility. Each year, CenterArts brings nationally recognized performers and speakers to campus, and we have 11 NCAA Division II athletic teams.
Recent Rankings
U.S. News & World Report—"A Top Western University"
Princeton Review—"Best in the West" college
Princeton Review "Green College"
President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
G.I. Jobs magazine—Military Friendly School
PETA—A Top Vegan-Friendly School
Campus Pride—A Top LGBT-Friendly School
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