Cal Poly vs. Utah

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or University of Utah? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Utah 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. University of Utah comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Utah College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Utah
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Overview

Cal Poly Utah
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Salt Lake City, UT
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 22,000 34,734
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #237
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu utah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Utah
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $8,175
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $28,697
Room & Board $16,449 $11,437
Avg Net Price $19,184 $12,399
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $9,696
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 99%

Admission

Cal Poly Utah
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 21,072
Admitted 17,885 18,781
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 89.1%
Enrolled % 28.6% 29.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.64
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 22/29
SAT Range 1220/1410 1190/1390
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Utah
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Utah
Graduation Rate 75% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $61,300
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $155

Diversity

Cal Poly Utah
% Men 51% 51%
% Women 49% 49%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 70%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Utah
% In-State 83% 57%
% Out-of-State 16% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Utah is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (34,734 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Utah Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Utah?

  • University of Utah is 42.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($8,175.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.8% higher at Utah than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($28,697.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Utah than Cal Poly ($12,399 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Utah are 43.8% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,437 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Utah than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (99% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 3.8% larger than aid received University of Utah ($10,065 vs. $9,696)

Cal Poly vs. Utah Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 129 points higher than at Utah (1130)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Utah (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Utah (3.64)
  • Utah has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Utah Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Utah? 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 Utah and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of Utah (75% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $8,100 more per year than Utah graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $61,300)
  • University of Utah students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,666)
  • Utah 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 Utah students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 72%)

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