Cal Poly vs. CSU

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

 Cal Poly CSU
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Chico, CA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 14,183
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #659
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu csuchico.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly CSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,449 $15,212
Avg Net Price $19,184 $15,517
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $9,162
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 62%

Admission

 Cal Poly CSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 21,417
Admitted 17,885 20,347
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 95%
Enrolled % 28.6% 9.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.37
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 18/24
SAT Range 1220/1410 970/1170
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 CSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly CSU
Graduation Rate 75% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $52,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $175

Diversity

 Cal Poly CSU
% Men 51% 45%
% Women 49% 55%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 46%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 29%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

 Cal Poly CSU
% In-State 83% 97%
% Out-of-State 16% 2%

Campus

 Cal Poly CSU
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 CSU based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 14,183 students)

Cal Poly vs. CSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or CSU?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and CSU 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 University Chico ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than Cal Poly ($15,517 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 8.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,212 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (62% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 9.9% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($10,065 vs. $9,162)

Cal Poly vs. CSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 256 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. CSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State University Chico (75% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $17,000 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $1,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($17,000 vs. $18,666)
  • CSU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($175 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 70%)

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