Cuesta College

San Luis Obispo, CA

Public midsize campus Rural: Fringe 7,180 undergrads

Affordability & debt

Average net price
$12,124per year, after aid
Undergraduates with a federal loan
2%
Undergraduates receiving a Pell grant
18%need-based, not repaid
Typical debt at graduation
$13,750federal loans, students who finished
Reducing their balance within 3 years
55%of borrowers who entered repayment

What that debt costs to repay. Typical debt here is about $13,750. At 7% over 10 years — the standard federal plan — that is roughly $160 a month, about $19,158 repaid in total, of which $5,408 is interest.

Stretch the same balance over 25 years and the payment drops to $97 a month — but the total climbs to $29,155, roughly $9,997 more in interest. A smaller payment is not a smaller loan.

An estimate, not financial advice: straight amortization at a fixed rate, ignoring fees, interest accrued while enrolled, and any forgiveness or income-driven plan. Figures on this page are averages and medians — what any one family borrows and pays varies widely. Try your own numbers.

Cuesta College’s net price calculator — every college is required to publish one. It is the only way to get a cost estimate based on your family’s own finances rather than an average.

Published tuition

In-state tuition
$1,350published rate
Out-of-state tuition
$11,010published rate

The sticker price before any aid. Most students pay less than this — the net price above is what aided students actually paid on average.

Outcomes

Median earnings
$46,04710 years after entry

Median earnings of former students who received federal aid, measured 10 years after they started.

Campus life

Campus setting
Rural: Fringe

Most common fields of study

  • Liberal arts & humanities42%
  • Health professions16%
  • Business & marketing10%
  • Family & consumer sciences6%
  • Social sciences4%
  • Education3%

Share of degrees awarded, by broad field.

Athletics

CCCAA

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Cross Country
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Track and Field
  • Volleyball
  • Water Polo
  • Wrestling

What borrowing would really cost

Starting from the typical debt at Cuesta College. Change any figure to see your own.

Federal undergraduate loans have recently been near 7%. Private loans are often higher.

Standard plan — 10 years

$160per month

Total repaid
$19,158
Interest paid
$5,408

Longer term — 25 years

$97per month

Total repaid
$29,155
Interest paid
$15,405

Borrow $13,750 and repay it over 25 years instead of 10, and you pay $9,997 more — $29,155 in all, about 2.1× what you borrowed. The monthly payment is smaller; the loan is not.

An estimate, not financial advice. Straight amortization at a fixed rate: it assumes every payment is made on time and the rate never changes, and it leaves out fees, interest that accrues while you’re still enrolled, and any forgiveness or income-driven plan. Planning4College is not a financial advisor and sells no loans. Check real terms with your school’s financial aid office and studentaid.gov.

See if Cuesta College fits you

Answer a few questions and we’ll show you where it lands — reach, match, or safety — alongside schools like it.

Get your free match

Similar colleges in California

Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and the Equity in Athletics survey. Figures reflect the most recent reporting year available and may be out of date or incomplete — confirm anything decision-critical with the college directly. Official site: Cuesta College.