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Caltech UCSB San Diego State Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Jose State UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | California State University Fullerton | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Fullerton, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 40,386 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #699 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | fullerton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $16,702 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $7,925 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,194 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 74% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 48,748 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 32,527 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 66.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 16.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.77 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 18/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1000/1180 | ||
| 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 | Cal State Fullerton | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 24:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $49,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $155 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 22% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 40% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 4% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Cal State Fullerton | ||
| 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 University Fullerton is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Fullerton Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Cal State Fullerton?
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton ($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 Fullerton than Cal Poly ($7,925 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 1.5% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($16,449 vs. $16,702)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (74% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 9.5% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($10,065 vs. $9,194)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Fullerton Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Cal State Fullerton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State Fullerton or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 235 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
- Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Fullerton Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Cal State Fullerton? 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 Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State University Fullerton (75% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $20,400 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $49,000)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,666)
- Cal State Fullerton 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 Cal State Fullerton students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/