Cuesta College

www.cuesta.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,288

2022 Average Net Price

$14,507

After Financial Aid

2019 Default Rate

2.19%

on Student Loans

2022 Enrolled Students

9,908

27.8% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

43.8%

259 Graduates

About

Cuesta College is a higher education institution located in San Luis Obispo County, CA. In 2022, the most popular 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentrations at Cuesta College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,182 degrees awarded), Child Care Provider (16 degrees), and Paralegal (16 degrees).

In 2022, 4,702 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Cuesta College. 60.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,641 degrees), 1.92 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,373 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Cuesta College is $1,288, which is $−6,824 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,112).

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Cuesta College was 2.19%, corresponding to 8 out of the 365 total borrowers.

Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at Cuesta College is $1,288, which is $6,824 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,112).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,507.

In 2022, 55% of undergraduate students attending Cuesta College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 2% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$1,288

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at Cuesta College was $1,288. The cost of tuition at Cuesta College is $−6,824 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($8,112).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Cuesta College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,507

2022 Value

0.542%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 Cuesta College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,507. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of Cuesta College grew by 0.542%.

This chart compares the average net price of Cuesta College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$17,253

Room and Board

$1,125

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Cuesta College was of $17,253 in 2022. The cost of room and board increased by 14.4% between 2021 and 2022.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,125. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 42.9% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Cuesta College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

55%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

55% of undergraduate students at Cuesta College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a growth of 3.77% with respect to 2021, when 53% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Cuesta College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.19%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Cuesta College was 2.19%, which represents 8 out of the 365 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Enrollment

Cuesta College had a total enrollment of 9,908 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at Cuesta College is 2,758 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,150. This means that 27.8% of students enrolled at Cuesta College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Cuesta College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49.5% White, 33.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.48% Two or More Races, 3.13% Asian, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.454% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.242% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Cuesta College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (26.4%), followed by White Female (25.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (17.4%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

27.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Cuesta College in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 9,908 students. The full-time enrollment at Cuesta College is 2,758 and the part-time enrollment is 7,150. This means that 27.8% of students enrolled at Cuesta College are enrolled full-time compared with N/A% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Cuesta College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

68%

2022 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Cuesta College was 68%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (62%), Cuesta College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Cuesta College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
4,903 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,358 enrolled students
Two or More Races
642 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Cuesta College is 49.5% White, 33.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.48% Two or More Races, 3.13% Asian, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.454% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.242% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 42.9% White, 27.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.5% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 358 students (3.61%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2022, 1,012 more women than men received degrees from Cuesta College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Cuesta College is white (2,641 degrees awarded). There were 1.92 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1373 degrees).

The most common 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentration at Cuesta College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,182 degrees awarded), followed by Child Care Provider (16 degrees) and Paralegal (16 degrees).

In 2022, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Cuesta College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (40 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (2,518 degrees), and Human Sciences (214 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (318,826 people), Other managers (241,851 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (189,825 people), Chief executives & legislators (114,931 people), and Postsecondary teachers (101,021 people).

The most specialized majors at Cuesta College in 2022 are Library Science (40 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (2,518 degrees), Human Sciences (214 degrees), Construction (43 degrees), and Social Sciences (178 degrees) (as of 2022).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Surgeons, Skincare specialists, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Library Science (40 degrees awarded), Liberal Arts & Humanities (2,518 degrees), Human Sciences (214 degrees), Construction (43 degrees), and Social Sciences (178 degrees) (as of 2022).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cuesta College are Elementary & secondary schools (422,083 people), Legal services (256,487 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (247,632 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (175,290 people), and Computer Systems Design (174,593 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Cuesta College.

Most Common (2022)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
897 degrees awarded
Humanistic Studies
439 degrees awarded
General Health Services
176 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common associates degree concentration at Cuesta College was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 897 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Cuesta College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,845

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2022

2,857

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2022

In 2022, 1,845 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College, which is 0.646 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,857).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Cuesta College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2022, 771 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.589 times less than the 1308 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2022, 1308 degrees were awarded to men at Cuesta College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.7 times more than the 771 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

22%

100% Completion Time

43%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 22% of students graduating from Cuesta College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 43% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 48% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (77.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2022 at Cuesta College is Female and Asian (77.8% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.47% of graduates (9 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
2,641 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,373 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
299 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Cuesta College is white (2,641 degrees awarded). There were 1.92 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1373 degrees).

1.68% of degree recipients (79 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
1,640 degrees awarded
White Male
1,001 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
845 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Cuesta College is white female (1,640 degrees awarded). There were 1.64 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1001 degrees).

Operations

Cuesta College has an endowment valued at nearly $32.7M, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 111k (0.338%) compared to the 0.843% average return (43.9k on 5.21M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2022, Cuesta College had a total salary expenditure of 111M. Cuesta College employs 134 Instructors. Most academics at Cuesta College are Male Instructor (67), and Female Instructor (67).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cuesta College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 110 employees, Service, with 37 employees, and Management with 31 employees.

Endowment

$32.7M

2022 Endowment

15%

decline from 2021

This line chart shows how the endowment at Cuesta College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$12.3M - Federal
$8.81M - State
$1.97M - Local

As of 2022, Cuesta College received $12.3M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $8.81M from state grants and contracts, and $1.97M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$41.8M

2022 Salaries

decline from 2021

In 2022, Cuesta College paid a median of $41.8M in salaries, which represents 37.7% of their overall expenditure ($111M) and a 3% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.92% decline between 2020 and 2021, and a 2.75% growth between 2019 and 2020.

The median for similar Associates Colleges is 16.8M (40.1% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$15.5M

Instructional Salaries

134

Number of Employees

In 2022, Cuesta College paid a total of $15.5M to 134 employees working as instructors, which represents 37.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $5.35M (31.8%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

134 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

110 Employees

In 2022, the most common positions for instructional staff at Cuesta College was Instructor with 134 employees.

In 2022, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cuesta College were Office and Administrative Support with 110 employees, Service with 37 employees, and Management with 31 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2022)

Male Instructor
Female Instructor

In 2022, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Cuesta College was Male Instructor with 67 employees, and Female Instructor with 67 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Cuesta College.

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