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Caltech California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSB San Jose State San Diego State Cal State Fullerton UCSC UCSD San Francisco State UC Davis UW-Seattle Pomona| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | California State University Long Beach | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Long Beach, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 38,973 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #507 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | csulb.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $14,932 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $9,346 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,478 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 75% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 74,718 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 29,851 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 40% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 18% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1020/1240 | ||
| 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 Long Beach | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 54% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $51,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $155 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 41% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 59% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 19% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 39% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 4% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Cal State Long Beach | ||
| 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 Long Beach is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Long Beach Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Cal State Long Beach?
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach ($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 Long Beach than Cal Poly ($9,346 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 10.2% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,932 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (75% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 6.2% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($10,065 vs. $9,478)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Long Beach Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Cal State Long Beach? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State Long Beach or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 203 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
- Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (40%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Cal State Long Beach Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Cal State Long Beach? 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 Long Beach and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State University Long Beach (75% vs. 54%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $18,300 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $51,100)
- California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,666)
- Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach 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/