About Humboldt State University

Founded in 1913, Humboldt State University. is a Public college. Located in California, which is a city setting in California, the campus itself is Town. The campus is home to 7,982 full time undergraduate students, and 521 full time graduate students.

The Humboldt State University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 22:1. There are 299 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Humboldt State University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate77%
Application Deadline
Application Fee55
SAT Range870-1090
ACT Range18-24

Admissions at HSU are considered Less Selective, with ,58% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 10 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

78% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 39% were in the top quarter, and 11% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Humboldt State University.

Humboldt State University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    110 Students rated on-campus housing 3.1 stars. 7 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    120 Students rated off-campus housing 2.9 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    136 Students rated campus food 3.4 stars. 20 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    139 Students rated campus facilities 4 stars. 32 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    139 Students rated class size 4.2 stars. 49 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    137 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    136 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 43 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    139 Students rated academics 4 stars. 39 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Humboldt State University?

48 Students rated Humboldt State University

Jasmine - 12/12/2023

Humboldt State University is transitioning to Cal Poly Humboldt. They claim to have created the change already, but even their name in the system is still Humboldt State University. This is representative of the school at the moment. There are a lot of changes and improvements to come, however, they are taking their time with the process. I do have hope for the plans though.

Lacey - 03/08/2023

As a postbaccalaureate student, I think I have a unique view on Humboldt State University, now called Cal Poly Humboldt. This school is set within a lovely campus and values the cultural uniqueness of the native land upon which it was built. I am a local to the university's set-in-the-redwoods location and believe in the connections that the school makes with its surrounding K-12 schools, foundations, businesses, etc. There are strong ties that Humboldt University holds with the native community and with the larger Humboldt County, CA communities as well. I came back to the Humboldt Campus, having gotten my bachelors in child development several years earlier, to continue as a post bac in secondary education, fine arts and teaching credential student. What I found when I returned was the familiarity of a community-based campus and professors that listen to students. I am a first generation college graduate, as neither of my parents went to college. I am also the youngest of seven children and the only one of my siblings with a four-year university education. I have found the HSU professors to be welcoming, supportive, and communicative, which was super important for me as a first generation student and continues to be as I further develop my professional education. The professors are engaged with each other and with students, which I believe is super important for a successful learning community. I also returned to find that the college was working on updating facilities and developing their programs. I am happy to have returned to this campus for further studies.

mariana - 03/07/2022

caca

Amanda - 09/30/2021

Humboldt was a school in transition while I was attending. There were a lot of changes happening that had both good and not so good results. One of the biggest issues that I had with some of these changes was the increased class sizes, due to the unlimited enrollment. Humboldt tends to be very inclusive, I haven't heard of anyone getting rejected, but in that same vein they were also actively recruiting new and transfer students while also not increasing course availability or number of instructors. This led to a lot of potential fire hazards with overfull classrooms. However, even through some of the more annoying aspects of going to a school that is bursting at the seams, is the huge amount of space available both on and off campus to study, relax, and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. I would not change anything about my time there, and I continue to view it with the greatest amount of awe and fondness.

Humboldt State University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Humboldt State University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Humboldt State University is 77%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    If I was able to go back in time and give advice to my senior self, I would definitely tell myself not to stress out too much about making a decision. It may seem like it is very important to go to a well known university, but when it is all boiled down, everyone is getting a college education. My senior year,I was more worried about the name of the school then anything else. I thought, "What would people think of me if I went to this school?" Now, I realized that college is what you make of it. I doesn't really matter what campus you go to, the important part is the experiences you will have.

    Read all  154 answers
  3. What's unique about your campus?

    The teachers are the best part of HSU. Their doors are alwaysopn to students. They are always willing to give extra help to hose who need it . They understand circumstances come up where class is missed or assignments are not turned in and they give reasonable time to makeup work.

    Read all  32 answers
  4. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Small, community oriented college, in a rural setting, that focuses on the students individually and tries to connect them to faculty.

    Read all  30 answers
  5. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    There isn't much that I really needed to know. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be that the people despite how crazy they may look are nice and very friendly. There is the feeling of love and peace in Humboldt. Rather than being scared to go out and make new friends because of all the new and different people, I should have been open and confident in myself and those around me.

    Read all  29 answers
  6. Describe the students at your school.

    Generally open-minded and unique individuals, there are always exceptions at all colleges.

    Read all  28 answers
  7. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    Location. Located far away from any city. Would have liked more diverse culture here, or closely accessible.

    Read all  27 answers
  8. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Someone that love nature, art and science. Our school has its own redwood forest, tons of outdoor activities every week, and has amazing science labs. Someone that also isnt afraid of rain, becuase it rains almost every other day.

    Read all  25 answers
  9. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The financial aid process.

    Read all  22 answers
  10. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    Environmental sensitivty and the Green Pledge--to promis, upon graduation, to take the knowledge gained at HSU and use it to improve the condition of the world.

    Read all  21 answers
  11. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    To attend HSU you should be a person who likes the outdoors and doesn't mind walking a lot. Due to the great variance in elevation accross the campus it helps if you like stairs and hills too. The typical student either is an artist in some form or has great appreciation for the arts but is also environmentally concious. Also, a big part of coming to Humboldt is accepting the rains. If you don't like being in colder, rainy weather Humboldt probably is not for you.

    Read all  19 answers
  12. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    people look you in the eye and smile. and not everyone has a cell phone. that says something about the quality of connections people have on campus.

    Read all  18 answers
  13. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    the quality of education I receive.

    Read all  15 answers
  14. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Every where you go you see Nature Lovers, and Musicians. So it is easy to conclude that the most popular stuff the students do are socialize, adventure, and have an all around great time.

    Read all  3 answers
  15. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    It's basically a nice beautiful college within 5 minutes of an amazing walk through the community redwood forest, with really nice (and left-winged) population of students. It's big enough that I feel like I'll always have someone new to meet, and small enough that most of my classes don't have more than 50 students. If you're worried about how the stoner rep affects academics, don't be: the academics here are just like any other colleges, with the exception of academic departments, which I hear are more intimate and get to know their students more closely. So far, it seems like a lot of the freshman like me aren't too familiar with the town outside. But people seem really friendly. There are often people at the plaza, and the town doesn't really close down until later since it's a college town. Sports aren't great.

    Read all  3 answers
  16. What are the academics like at your school?

    The professors I've had have all been very friendly and approachable. Of course, that isn't a lot, but this is the only review on unigo right now, so you have to deal with my inexperienced opinion. You'll get to know professors a lot better it seems once you declare your major and take classes in that major. Students here study a medium amount, but it's still up to you to drive yourself to do your work. I guess it's nice to know that there are other students suffering with you though. I just declared my major in music, and I'm really excited to start classes next semester for it! The department is lacking in enough talent to be very competitive, but it's a nice atmosphere. I'm looking into being a music ed major so it doesn't really matter for me. The professors in the department are really nice for the most part, although there are a few eccentrics.

    Read all  1 answers
  17. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    That they are all stoners-- that's the main and only stereotype I can think of.

    Read all  1 answers
  18. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Well, I mean plenty of them are stoners. But I'm not one of them, and there are plenty of other people that aren't, enough that I suppose if you wanted you could avoid that population altogether (although I don't know about you, but stoners are pretty low on my priority list of people to avoid).

    Read all  1 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    The stereotype? It fits a percentage of the student body. Going to school in one of the largest marijuana producing counties in the world comes with a reputation that everyone who goes there would be tie-dyed and dread-locked. But that is so untrue for the majority of Humboldt's population, most of us are clean, focused, and keep healthy.

    Read all  1 answers

Student Body

Students

56%

female

44%

male

7,982

Total Undergrad Enrollment

521

Total Grad Students

7%

Out-Of-State

93%

In-State

N/A

International

Organizations

183

Student Organizations

3

Fraternities

3

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

25%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
1%
% Asian/Pacific Islander
3%
% Black or African-American
3%
% Hispanic/Latino
35%
% White or Caucasian
43%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

81% of students attending Humboldt State University receive some sort of financial aid. 54% were awarded federal grants. While 59% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$18,369

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,660

Books and Supplies

$12,638

Room and Board

32,667

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$10,069
$30 - $48K
$11,248
$48 - $75K
$15,352
$75 - $110K
$20,130
$110K & UP
$22,687

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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