Cuesta College
About
Cuesta College is a public community college located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was founded in 1963 and serves approximately 10,000 students. The college offers a wide range of academic programs, including associate degrees and transfer pathways, with notable focus areas in healthcare and vocational training.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 45.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 114 Title IV programs, 3 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 111 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing3 · 2.6%
- No Data111 · 97.4%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Action history · 2
- Feb 2021Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Feb 2015Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 2,319 students received $10.0M in Pell grants, alongside $1.5M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 365 borrowers who entered repayment, 8 (2.1%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Cuesta College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Cuesta College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Cuesta College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCuesta College | 48% | — | 11,283 | $12,898 | Community College |
| — | — | 11,463 | $4,638 | Community College | |
| — | — | 19,342 | $3,454 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,375 | $3,660 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,085 | $12,653 | Community College | |
| — | — | 18,075 | $2,114 | Community College | |
| — | — | 18,165 | $5,436 | Community College | |
| — | — | 33,677 | $9,791 | Community College | |
| — | — | — | $4,181 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,251 | $5,778 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,098 | $3,661 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,721 | $2,861 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,643 | $10,225 | Community College | |
| — | — | 13,018 | $1,886 | Community College | |
| — | — | 16,906 | $11,196 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,999 | $10,200 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,077 | $13,438 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,044 | $6,000 | Community College | |
| — | — | 18,835 | $7,240 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,351 | $2,845 | Community College | |
| — | — | 56,457 | $8,554 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,060 | $4,546 | Community College | |
| — | — | 15,287 | $4,568 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,660 | $11,728 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,861 | $9,920 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,473 | $10,857 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,764 | $2,976 | Community College | |
| — | — | 27,437 | $7,661 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,854 | $5,541 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,359 | $9,301 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 48% | — | 15,999 | $5,889 |
Institutions like Cuesta College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Cuesta College's comparison group.
- Community CollegeCalifornia
Allan Hancock College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,463Net price$4,638View data - Community CollegeNew Mexico
Central New Mexico Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment19,342Net price$3,454View data - Community CollegeNorth Carolina
Central Piedmont Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment20,375Net price$3,660View data - Community CollegeArizona
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment15,085Net price$12,653View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
College of the Canyons
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment18,075Net price$2,114View data - Community CollegeNew York
CUNY Kingsborough Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment18,165Net price$5,436View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
East Los Angeles College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment33,677Net price$9,791View data - Community CollegeOhio
Eastern Gateway Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment—Net price$4,181View data - Community CollegeIllinois
Elgin Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment10,251Net price$5,778View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Folsom Lake College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,098Net price$3,661View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Golden West College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment10,721Net price$2,861View data - Community CollegeMaryland
Howard Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment8,643Net price$10,225View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Irvine Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment13,018Net price$1,886View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Pierce College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment16,906Net price$11,196View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment15,999Net price$10,200View data - Community CollegeArizona
Mesa Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment17,077Net price$13,438View data - Community CollegeNew Jersey
Middlesex College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment12,044Net price$6,000View data - Community CollegeMaryland
Montgomery College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment18,835Net price$7,240View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Norco College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,351Net price$2,845View data - Community CollegeVirginia
Northern Virginia Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment56,457Net price$8,554View data - Community CollegeTexas
Northwest Vista College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment20,060Net price$4,546View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Oakland Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment15,287Net price$4,568View data - Community CollegeArizona
Phoenix College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment10,660Net price$11,728View data - Community CollegeOregon
Portland Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment20,861Net price$9,920View data - Community CollegeMaryland
Prince George's Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,473Net price$10,857View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Saddleback College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment20,764Net price$2,976View data - Community CollegeUtah
Salt Lake Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment27,437Net price$7,661View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Santa Rosa Junior College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment17,854Net price$5,541View data - Community CollegeNew York
SUNY Westchester Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment9,359Net price$9,301View data
Cuesta College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research assists the college in completing its mission through regular evaluative assessment, analysis of empirical data to inform ongoing and integrated institutional planning and policy development, supports internal program review and college accreditation, and contributes appropriate information to state and federal data consortia.
Visit IR office page- Aimee La RueInstitutional Research Analyst
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planSan Luis Obispo County Community College District Strategic Plan 2020-20232020The San Luis Obispo County Community College District Strategic Plan 2020-2023 outlines goals and objectives aimed at advancing educational access, completion, and workforce readiness through integrated planning. The strategic plan focuses on closing equity achievement gaps, enhancing student access, and increasing degree completions and transfers to CSU and UC systems. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of technological improvements and sustainable fiscal management to support institutional effectiveness over a three-year period.cuesta.edu
Notable alumni of Cuesta College (5)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Katcho AchadjianPolitics
- Jay AsherLiterature
- Carissa PhelpsSocial Activism
- Jake ShieldsAthletics
- Gabrielle UnionEntertainment
Frequently asked questions about Cuesta College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Cuesta College.
What is the graduation rate at Cuesta College?
How many students attend Cuesta College?
What is the average net price at Cuesta College?
Where is Cuesta College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Cuesta College?
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