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UC Riverside Caltech UCSB UC Davis San Diego State San Jose State UC Merced UCI UCSD UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 19,478 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #222 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $18,185 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $17,975 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $21,202 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 68% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 65,912 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 30,926 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 46.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 12.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $206 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 7% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UCSC | ||
| 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
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 19,478 students)
Cal Poly vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCSC?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSC than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Cal Poly ($17,975 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 10.6% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($16,449 vs. $18,185)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (68% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 110.7% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($21,202 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 58 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCSC (28)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UCSC? 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 UCSC and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (75% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $19,000 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $50,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $1,293 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,959)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($193 vs. $206)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/