Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

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

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Pomona, CA
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 22,000 27,503
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #550
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu csupomona.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,449 $16,330
Avg Net Price $19,184 $12,480
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $9,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 71%

Admission

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 49,079
Admitted 17,885 27,179
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 55.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.69
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 19/27
SAT Range 1220/1410 1010/1250
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 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Graduation Rate 75% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $55,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $196

Diversity

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
% Men 51% 54%
% Women 49% 46%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 19%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 40%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
% In-State 83% 99%
% Out-of-State 16% 1%

Campus

Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
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 State Polytechnic University Pomona is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (27,503 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 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 California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than Cal Poly ($12,480 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Pomona are 0.7% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,330 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (71% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 11.3% larger than aid received California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($10,065 vs. $9,040)

Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 193 points higher than at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (1066)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (24)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (3.69)
  • California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has a higher acceptance rate (55.4%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? 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 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State Polytechnic University Pomona (75% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $14,000 more per year than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $55,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $334 lower median federal student loan debt than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,000)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($193 vs. $196)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 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/