Cal Poly vs. City College of New York

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

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Location San Luis Obispo, CA New York, NY
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,485 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #146 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $14,880
Room & Board $17,220 $18,104
Avg Net Price $16,888 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $12,707 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 86%

Admission

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,736 31,988
Admitted 18,964 18,576
Acceptance Rate 29.8% 58.1%
Enrolled % 27.8% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.2
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1220/1460
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, 2024 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Graduation Rate 75% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $193 $117

Diversity

 Cal Poly City College of New York
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 2% 11%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 15%
% Black 1% 16%
% Hispanic 16% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 Cal Poly City College of New York
% In-State 86% 87%
% Out-of-State 14% 0%

Campus

 Cal Poly City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
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 City College of New York based on total student enrollment (22,485 students vs. 15,012 students)

Cal Poly vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or City College of New York?

  • CUNY City College is 20.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($6,930.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at Cal Poly than CUNY City College ($17,622.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Cal Poly ($4,599 vs. $16,888)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 5.1% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($17,220 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (86% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 37.6% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($12,707 vs. $9,236)

Cal Poly vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 134 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.8 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)

Cal Poly vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than CUNY City College (75% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $19,600 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $7,266 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($11,400 vs. $18,666)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($117 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 52%)

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