Cuesta College
Tel:
(805)546-3100
- Cuesta College is a premier community college providing accessible, high quality education that focuses on student success, lifelong learning, and community vitality.
School Highlights
- Cuesta College serves 9,221 students (40% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 36:1 is lower than the state community college average of 44:1.
- Minority enrollment is 33% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 68%.
- Cuesta College is the only community colleges within San Luis Obispo County, CA.
- The nearest community college to Cuesta College is Allan Hancock College (25.6 miles away).
School Overview
- The teacher population of 259 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| Cuesta College | (CA) Community College Avg. | |
| Carnegie Classification | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges |
| Institution Level | Less than 2 yrs | At least 2 but less than 4 years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 259 staff | 97 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 9,221 students | 7,516 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 36:1 | 44:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 3,723 students | 1,613 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 5,498 students | 5,903 students |
 |  | |
| % American Indian/Alaskan | 1% | - |
| % Asian | 3% | 13% |
| % Hispanic | 20% | 37% |
| % Black | 2% | 7% |
| % White | 67% | 32% |
| % Two or more races | 4% | 3% |
| % Non Resident races | 1% | 3% |
| % Unknown races | 2% | 5% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.51 | 0.73 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 28% | 29% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $38,700 | $34,600 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- Cuesta College makes lifelong learning happen. We enable students to achieve their academic, transfer, workforce preparation, career advancement, and personal goals. Building on our tradition of excellence, we serve our community by providing programs and services that produce students who can succeed in a diverse and rapidly changing society, participate effectively in their local communities, and live responsible and rewarding lives. As a learning college, we provide a supportive environment for students and employees, assess student and institutional outcomes, improve performance, forge strategic partnerships, and maximize opportunities for learning. Cuesta College is located at the heart of scenic San Luis Obispo County, and is highly regarded throughout the state for its excellent educational programs, responsive student services and exceptional faculty and staff. In 1996 the college received a Silver Medal Eureka Award for Quality and Service Excellence. Most courses offered through Cuesta College's Distance Education program are fully accredited and transfer to other four year institutions. All courses are equivalent to the classroom-based version in course content, textbooks, required assignments and study time. The only difference is that the delivery method in a distance education course is different. The Cuesta College Foundation was incorporated in 1973 for the purpose of providing essential financial support for Cuesta College programs, services, scholarships, and capital needs.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to Cuesta College is Allan Hancock College (25.6 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- Allan Hancock CollegePublic11,047 students | 25.60 Mi800 South College Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805)922-6966 25.6011,047 - Santa Barbara Business College-Santa MariaPrivate, for profit204 students | 25.60 Mi303 E Plaza Dr Ste 1
Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805)922-8256 25.60204 - 2,650 students | 64.70 Mi300 Cherry Lane
Coalinga, CA 93210
(559)934-2000 64.702,650 - 17,927 students | 80.60 Mi721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805)965-0581 80.6017,927
Recent Articles
We look at why millions of Americans are choosing community college over a traditional four-year school today.
Many students enroll in community college with the intent of transferring to a four-year school. Of those who do, many succeed, and yet traditional colleges and universities continue to overlook them. Read on to learn more about why more community college students don’t transfer schools and to receive some tips for making the transfer yourself.
Community college is the only option for many students who either can’t afford a traditional four-year university or who need a more flexible school environment. Just because community college is different, however, doesn’t mean that its students matter any less. The Aspen Prize exists to encourage community colleges to do more for their students and to continually strive for improvement.
