California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt
Locations: Arcata (CA)
Annual Tuition: $20,850
Student Reviews
Anthony Barba
Reviewed: 4/23/2026
Degree: Business Administration
I came to Humboldt wanting to escape and find peace. I fell in love with the natural landscape and culture. I look back and question to myself, "How does it feel so good to know I graduated from such an amazing school. My focus was developing a sustainable business model, and utilizing ways to reduce waste and recycle inorganic compounds such as plastic.
Heidi
Reviewed: 4/23/2026
Degree: Psychology
Cal Poly Humboldt is a overall good school that offers diverse studies and professors which truly seem to care for their students. The level of work is held to a high standard while faculty and resources on campus offering extra support outside of class.
Rowan
Reviewed: 1/14/2026
Degree: Biology
I loved going to Humboldt! I transferred from a UC and the difference was night and day. At my previous college, there was really no way to get to know your professors. Office hours were packed, TAs taught labs and discussion classes, and the class sizes themselves were, for the most part, huge (one class had 750 students). At Cal Poly Humboldt, it was a far more personal experience. Because of the smaller class sizes, I was able to develop great relationships with all of my instructors because it... Read More
Tim K.
Reviewed: 5/5/2020
Degree: Environmental Engineering
The engineering program at HSU is outstanding. I was well trained to enter the workforce and was able to pass the EIT at my first try due to the rigor of this program. The program has excellent instruction and fantastic support for learning. The small-town location and great access to recreation (mtb biking, hiking, rivers and ocean) added a great opportunity to my education.
Nichole Hillyer
Reviewed: 12/27/2019
Degree: Child Development
The child development program at HSU was great. Lots of hands-on experience in the classroom and outside the classroom. There is a on site lab preschool that provided invaluable hands on experiences in a preschool classroom. The program might not be beneficial if you do not wish to be a preschool teacher but the knowledged gained has been beneficial in other ways in my life (even as a parent)
Elena McCracken
Reviewed: 9/25/2019
Degree: Fitness Trainer
HSU was a great place for learning Kinesiology. We were fortunate enough to have a of the newer buildings on the campus. The professors were experienced in using high-tech equipment to assist their students. Research was not just for graduate students, but offered to undergraduate students as well. I was fortunate enough to assist gradate students with their research for the thesis in the Exercise Physiology lab. The professors were always readily available to the students, which I greatly appreciated.... Read More
Mary Colleen Hannon
Reviewed: 6/21/2019
Degree: Biology
I cannot speak highly enough of Humboldt State University! The years I attended HSU 2010-2015 were some of the best, eye-opening, and challenging years of my life. The institution has so many incredible resources for students of all situations and backgrounds. Their Marine Biology and Zoology programs are hands on and informing. The professors I had valued teaching writing skills and I am now benefiting from that in my graduate schooling. There were so many chances to conduct research and collaborate... Read More
David Dominguez
Reviewed: 6/11/2019
Degree: Sociology
A beautiful place to study. The professors are knowledgeable and the town really is supportive of the HSU campus and students. There are also plenty of ways to get involved and jobs for the students of the school. The student body population is pretty diverse as well, with students coming from all walks of life and backgrounds. I would recommend visiting the campus. The only downside is that there is not a strong reputation when comparing to other California schools but the quality and small class... Read More
Elizabeth Bauer
Reviewed: 3/30/2019
Degree: English
I believe my education at Humboldt State was invaluable. The professors were open-minded, inquisitive and progressive and encouraged students to create their own ideas and think outside the box. This college carefully honed my critical thinking skills, which has proven to be a skill that stands out in the workplace. I greatly appreciated the progressive nature of this college and region as a whole. Often, classes were interactive and included a variety of learning techniques. The school has many... Read More
Leabeth Peterson
Reviewed: 3/25/2019
Degree: Environmental Engineering
Humboldt State University is a quiet college located in Northern California. In studying Environmental Resources Engineering there, I was fortunate for many reasons. The area itself is beautiful with small populations and the redwood trees on one side and the ocean on the other. I cant say enough good things about the people and small mom and pop shops you will encounter. The education I received was once in a life time. The class sizes for the core classes never exceeded 40 students. All the professors... Read More
Jessica
Reviewed: 6/28/2018
Degree: Business
Its a very rough area with lots of drug addicts and crime in the area. Not enough housing for students. No party scene. No diversity(only white people & some latinos). The school is broke so theres no funding for anything except environmental sciences. They have a bad retention rate. At least a quarter of the students in each of my classes drop out by the end of each semester. Let me repeat this one: THERES LOTS OF CRIME IN THE AREA. Im from LA and I feel safer there at night than I do in Humboldt... Read More
Nina Bel
Reviewed: 6/16/2018
Degree: International Business
Humboldt State is one of the friendliest and inclusive schools one can find. It is a small school in a small town, where you can really dive into the institution and utilize all of your resources to attain your best education. I am so happy to have chosen this school for my first experience in post-secondary education.
Sally
Reviewed: 3/1/2018
Degree: Elementary Education
Plain and simple, I would not recommend the teaching credential program at Humboldt State to anyone. The support given for the real teaching world is close to none aside from the sciences and math portion. The lack of organization and communication within the supervisors, mentors and administration is horrible and leaves students to really fend for themselves. Aside from the program being horrible, the people that run it are extremely nice, but that doesn't mean the job gets done for our future teachers... Read More
xacebedo13
Reviewed: 11/26/2017
Degree: History
HSU is a wonderful place. The nature alone is worth moving to the middle of nowhere, but the diversity in the student population and the sincere and knowledgeable professors make HSU a special place to pursue any degree. At HSU they create a very student focused environment and it is apparent in their educators and throughout the on-campus staff (from Admissions to the Student medical center).
Allie Howard
Reviewed: 8/24/2017
Degree: Fitness Trainer
The Kinesiology program at Humboldt State University was exceptional in that it was very hands on and also had access to advanced technology that are essential to learn in this field. I enjoyed learning in and out of the classroom from my professors, and enjoyed the atmosphere that HSU had. I hope to take this scholarship (if I get lucky!) and put it towards my student debt or use it as a start for a graduate program! Allie
Tia Meyer
Reviewed: 6/24/2017
Degree: Anthropology
I am grateful for my time at Humboldt State University. Majoring in a liberal arts degree in a field that I am passionate about gave me the motivation to complete the reading and the assignments, the faculty was always very supportive and available for help. Staff always recognized me and knew my name even in larger classes. I appreciated how hands-on many of the programs at this university are.
Helina Alvarez
Reviewed: 3/19/2017
Degree: Environmental Science
Overall Humboldt State was a good University. They do need help in improving a few areas, regarding their programs to help support underrepresented students, especially in career and education advancement. However, if you in the biology, natural resources field and enjoy the outdoors I would reccommend this school.
Missy
Reviewed: 2/4/2017
Degree: Environmental Science
Humboldt State is situated within the redwoods on the North Coast of California, its unique ecosystem and tumultuous history of resource extraction make it one of the best places to study environmental systems and natural resource management. One of the greatest strengths of the Natural Resource program at HSU is the integration of its geography into the curriculum, thus bringing tangible experiences and skill sets into education that can be applied outside of the classroom.
JN
Reviewed: 1/31/2017
Degree: Biology
Humboldt State is situated in a fantastic location, has a broad array of instructors from highly-varied backgrounds, and offer a wide variety within their curriculum. Of course administration is overpaid, but many instructors are inherently worth more than they are paid- the amount of knowledge some professors have to offer/share is absolutely amazing. Getting involved with research projects can be difficult, but actively asking around has proven to offer me more opportunities than I had previously... Read More
Carolyn Delevich
Reviewed: 12/20/2016
Degree: Biology
Humboldt State is a great small community campus on the shores of northern California. Surrounded by redwood forests, students both within and outside of the biological sciences department are deeply invested in understanding and working well with nature. It is encouraging working with the natural environment while being surrounded by it, and being surrounded by people who care about sustainability. The campus is working towards becoming a carbon neutral campus. With a community interested in preserving... Read More