CA
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
5.51 incidents / 1,000 students
San Luis Obispo, CA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Across 2022–2024, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reported 244 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Motor Vehicle Theft). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: California State University-Los Angeles.
- 5.51
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,671
- Rank of 2,072
- #281
- CA rank
- 23,069
- Enrolled students
5.51 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports 5.51 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 14% below University of Louisville. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Louisville (7.59/1k); University of Nevada-Reno (4.34/1k); University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (7.14/1k); University of New Mexico-Main Campus (11.42/1k); Mississippi State University (1.43/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes California State University-Los Angeles (2.76/1k); Santa Monica College (0.47/1k); San Francisco State University (3.41/1k); National University (0.00/1k); California State University-Fresno (8.23/1k); University of California-Santa Barbara (11.71/1k); University of California-Santa Cruz (7.67/1k); University of California-Riverside (19.25/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Motor Vehicle Theft.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 5.51
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,671
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 81%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 75
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 110422 · California Polytechnic State University-San 5.51/1k score rate · #1,671/2,072
RATE-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-HOT 5.51/1k
- RANK-BOTTOM #1,671/2,072
- ST-MID #281 in state
- ABOVE-PEER University of Nevada-Reno · +1.16
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 9%
- CAT-LEAD Motor Vehicle Th…
- ENR-LARGE 23,069
- FIRE-REPORT 10 fires
Nearest enrollment peer: University of Nevada-Reno (-1.16/1k)
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo sheet RATE-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT · peer University of Nevada-Reno. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is University of Nevada-Reno (-1.16/1k). National rank #1,671 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports 5.51 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 14% below University of Louisville. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Louisville (7.59/1k); University of Nevada-Reno (4.34/1k); University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (7.14/1k); University of New Mexico-Main Campus (11.42/1k); Mississippi State University (1.43/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes California State University-Los Angeles (2.76/1k); Santa Monica College (0.47/1k); San Francisco State University (3.41/1k); National University (0.00/1k); California State University-Fresno (8.23/1k); University of California-Santa Barbara (11.71/1k); University of California-Santa Cruz (7.67/1k); University of California-Riverside (19.25/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Motor Vehicle Theft.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around California Polytechnic State
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest California on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Mississippi State University · lowest peer 1.43
Mississippi State University — lowest peer
1.43 per 1,000 students
- University of Nevada-Reno · near 4.34
University of Nevada-Reno — near
4.34 per 1,000 students
- California Polytechnic State University-San · this campus
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo — this campus
5.51 per 1,000 students
- University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz · near
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus — near
7.14 per 1,000 students
- University of Louisville · near
University of Louisville — near
7.59 per 1,000 students
- University of New Mexico-Main · highest peer
University of New Mexico-Main Campus — highest peer
11.42 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's 5.51/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo decreased from 100 to 75 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 CA 4-year peers in this comparison, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is larger than 75% and safer-reporting than 22% - the larger, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- California Polytechnic Sta…: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Merced | 9,110 | 6.92 | 0 | 14 |
| West Los Angeles College | 9,255 | 0.22 | 3 | 83 |
| Solano Community College | 9,282 | 0.22 | 6 | 86 |
| Skyline College | 9,572 | 0.21 | 8 | 89 |
| University of San Diego | 9,714 | 5.66 | 11 | 19 |
| California State University-Stanislaus | 9,724 | 2.06 | 14 | 53 |
| Santa Clara University | 9,728 | 3.91 | 17 | 28 |
| Chapman University | 9,760 | 2.97 | 19 | 36 |
| Loyola Marymount University | 10,179 | 6.68 | 22 | 17 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 10,419 | 0.77 | 25 | 67 |
| MiraCosta College | 11,478 | 0.52 | 28 | 72 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (this campus) | 23,069 | 5.51 | 75 | 22 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
Enrollment scale
How campus size shapes the safety figures
With 23,069 enrolled students, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is the 168th largest of the 5,585 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment, ahead of 5,417 of them. Closest same-state same-level scored peers by enrollment: California State University-Los Angeles (2.76/1k); Santa Monica College (0.47/1k); San Francisco State University (3.41/1k); National University (0.00/1k); California State University-Fresno (8.23/1k); University of California-Santa Barbara (11.71/1k); University of California-Santa Cruz (7.67/1k); University of California-Riverside (19.25/1k). The score above normalizes 2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe (University of Louisville is the nearest similar-enrollment comparison on this profile).
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo fell from 100 to 75 (-25%). The decrease shows up in Motor Vehicle Theft (56 to 42), Arson (6 to 1) and Burglary (16 to 13).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 6 Clery Act categories here: Motor Vehicle Theft, Burglary, Rape, Fondling, Arson and Aggravated Assault. Motor Vehicle Theft accounts for most of them.
The remaining 5 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Negligent Manslaughter and Robbery. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 9% (69 → 75 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 69 |
| 2023 | 100 |
| 2024 | 75 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 42 | 56 | 25 |
| Burglary | 13 | 16 | 11 |
| Rape | 11 | 12 | 17 |
| Fondling | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| Arson | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 4 | 13 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 1 | 6 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 6 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 4 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 13 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 1 | 2 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
KY
University of Louisville
7.59 incidents / 1,000 students
NV
University of Nevada-Reno
4.34 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo sits on price and outcomes
At $16,665, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's reported average net price is cheaper than 42% among 492 California colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $20,161.
- $16,665
- average net price
- $20,161
- California median
- 3.9×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $20,243
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $7,529, while those above $110,000 record $27,772 - roughly 3.7 times as much. A published average of $16,665 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Six years after enrolling, the median former student who received federal aid reports $72,358 - about 4.3 times one year of the reported net price here. On that ratio the cost is recovered quickly.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $13,596
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $34,665
- Avg Net Price
- $16,665
- Median Debt
- $18,500
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 19%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 31%
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 86%
- Retention Rate
- 96%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $72,358
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $90,768
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 91%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 396 similar institutions by enrollment size.
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY · 23,065 enrolled
Safety Score 7.59
University of Nevada-Reno
Reno, NV · 23,024 enrolled
Safety Score 4.34
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO · 23,124 enrolled
Safety Score 7.14
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM · 23,124 enrolled
Safety Score 11.42
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS · 23,150 enrolled
Safety Score 1.43
Closest by National Rank
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (national rank #1671) sits near Heidelberg University (#1670) and University of Washington-Seattle Campus (#1672) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Heidelberg University
Tiffin, OH
National Rank #1670
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA
National Rank #1672
Young Harris College
Young Harris, GA
National Rank #1669
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC
National Rank #1673
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA
National Rank #1668
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY · 23,065 enrolled
Safety score 7.59
University of Nevada-Reno
Reno, NV · 23,024 enrolled
Safety score 4.34
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO · 23,124 enrolled
Safety score 7.14
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM · 23,124 enrolled
Safety score 11.42
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS · 23,150 enrolled
Safety score 1.43
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ · 23,375 enrolled
Safety score 2.70
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA · 22,740 enrolled
Safety score 0.97
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY · 22,589 enrolled
Safety score 4.60
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · 56,997 enrolled
Safety score 5.51
Heidelberg University
Tiffin, OH · 1,091 enrolled
Safety score 5.50
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC · 4,894 enrolled
Safety score 5.52
Young Harris College
Young Harris, GA · 1,457 enrolled
Safety score 5.49
SUNY Brockport
Brockport, NY · 7,482 enrolled
Safety score 5.48
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV · 1,278 enrolled
Safety score 5.48
University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, KS · 1,462 enrolled
Safety score 5.47
William Peace University
Raleigh, NC · 722 enrolled
Safety score 5.54
Frequently Asked Questions
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo safe?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo has a safety score of 5.51 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,671 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: University of Louisville (7.59/1k). Same-state same-level set: California State University-Los Angeles (2.76/1k); Santa Monica College (0.47/1k); San Francisco State University (3.41/1k); National University (0.00/1k); California State University-Fresno (8.23/1k); University of California-Santa Barbara (11.71/1k); University of California-Santa Cruz (7.67/1k); University of California-Riverside (19.25/1k).
What crimes are reported at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
For calendar year 2024, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reported Motor Vehicle Theft (42), Burglary (13), Rape (11), Fondling (7) and Aggravated Assault (1), and 1 further category in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo compare to similar schools?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports 14% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than University of Louisville. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: University of Louisville (7.59/1k); University of Nevada-Reno (4.34/1k); University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (7.14/1k); University of New Mexico-Main Campus (11.42/1k); Mississippi State University (1.43/1k). Same-state same-level set: California State University-Los Angeles (2.76/1k); Santa Monica College (0.47/1k); San Francisco State University (3.41/1k); National University (0.00/1k); California State University-Fresno (8.23/1k); University of California-Santa Barbara (11.71/1k); University of California-Santa Cruz (7.67/1k); University of California-Riverside (19.25/1k).
Does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo have fire safety data?
Yes. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 10 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.