Cal Poly vs. Colorado School of Mines

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or Colorado School of Mines? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Colorado School of Mines is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. Colorado School of Mines comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Colorado School of Mines College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Colorado School of Mines
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Overview

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Golden, CO
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 7,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #152
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu mines.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $17,520
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $39,600
Room & Board $16,449 $16,110
Avg Net Price $19,184 $29,425
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 97%

Admission

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 10,886
Admitted 17,885 6,314
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 58%
Enrolled % 28.6% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.84
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 30/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1330/1488
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Engineering (89%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Social Sciences (2%)
  • Physical Sciences (1%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Graduation Rate 75% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $90,500
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $268

Diversity

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
% Men 51% 69%
% Women 49% 31%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 75%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
% In-State 83% 50%
% Out-of-State 16% 48%

Campus

Cal Poly Colorado School of Mines
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Colorado School of Mines based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 7,403 students)

Cal Poly vs. Colorado School of Mines Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Colorado School of Mines?

  • Colorado School of Mines is 205.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($17,520.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.7% higher at Colorado School of Mines than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($39,600.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than Colorado School of Mines ($19,184 vs. $29,425)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado School of Mines are 2.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,110 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado School of Mines than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (97% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado School of Mines students is 5.5% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,614 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Colorado School of Mines Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Colorado School of Mines? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado School of Mines or Cal Poly .

  • The average SAT score at Colorado School of Mines (1339) is 80 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Colorado School of Mines students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Cal Poly (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Colorado School of Mines (3.84)
  • Colorado School of Mines has a higher acceptance rate (58%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Colorado School of Mines Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Colorado School of Mines? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Colorado School of Mines and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Colorado School of Mines (75% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn on average $21,100 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($90,500 vs. $69,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $7,334 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($18,666 vs. $26,000)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($193 vs. $268)
  • More Colorado School of Mines graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal Poly students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 85%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/