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Caltech UCSB San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach San Diego State UCSC Sacramento State UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton UCSD UC Davis| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | San Jose State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Jose, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 35,751 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #558 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | sjsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $18,568 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $14,219 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,210 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 59% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 34,002 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 26,083 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 76.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 15.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.35 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1010/1240 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2023 | Dec 15, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $59,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $155 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 48% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 52% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 19% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 26% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 4% |
Students |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 96% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | San Jose State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Jose State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (35,751 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or San Jose State?
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and San Jose State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at Cal Poly as San Jose State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than Cal Poly ($14,219 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 12.9% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($16,449 vs. $18,568)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (59% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 9.3% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($10,065 vs. $9,210)
Cal Poly vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or San Jose State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Jose State or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 204 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at San Jose State (23)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
- San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or San Jose State? 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 San Jose State and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than San Jose State University (75% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $9,500 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $59,900)
- San Jose State University students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,666)
- San Jose State graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($155 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/