California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Since its founding in 1903 as a vocational school with an emphasis on learning by doing, Cal Poly has evolved into a skills-focused university with 65 majors, including one in wine and viticulture and several within its well-known engineering school. The population is diverse, with 17% of students Hispanic and 13% Asian. Cal Poly covers more than 9,100 acres and uses canyons, ranches, beaches, and even a farm to teach students hands-on lessons in agriculture, biology, and forestry. Students will also find hiking and biking trails located throughout the properties. The university's graduation rate is 79%, and graduates report starting salaries of about $63,500, which is around 15% higher than their peers at similar universities, according to MONEY's calculations. In recent years, the school has been the beneficiary of formidable alumni largesse. In 2018, it opened an equestrian pavilion made possible by a $20 million gift from a former Apple executive and his wife. Another alum recently made a $110 million donation to the College of Science and Mathematics to support undergraduate research. Cal Poly's home is sunny San Luis Obispo, located on the California coast about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Surrounded by vineyards and farm-to-table restaurants, the campus is minutes from the beach and also close to Hearst Castle.