Cal Poly vs. Hunter

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or CUNY Hunter College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Hunter 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

City College of New York Caltech UCSB San Diego State UCSC Queens College Baruch UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. CUNY Hunter College comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo CUNY Hunter College College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo CUNY Hunter College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cal Poly Hunter
Location San Luis Obispo, CA New York, NY
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,485 22,879
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #146 #283
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly Hunter
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $14,880
Room & Board $17,220 $11,324
Avg Net Price $16,888 $4,127
Avg Grant Aid $12,707 $9,624
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 88%

Admission

 Cal Poly Hunter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,736 31,614
Admitted 18,964 17,087
Acceptance Rate 29.8% 54%
Enrolled % 27.8% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.7
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1210/1470
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

Academics

 Cal Poly Hunter
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly Hunter
Graduation Rate 75% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $11,548
Median Loan Payment $193 $119

Diversity

 Cal Poly Hunter
% Men 2% 6%
% Women 2% 18%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 27%
% Black 1% 10%
% Hispanic 16% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 Cal Poly Hunter
% In-State 86% 85%
% Out-of-State 14% 0%

Campus

 Cal Poly Hunter
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

  • CUNY Hunter College is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (22,879 students vs. 22,485 students)

Cal Poly vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Hunter?

  • CUNY Hunter 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 Hunter College ($17,622.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than Cal Poly ($4,127 vs. $16,888)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 52.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,324 vs. $17,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (88% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 32% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($12,707 vs. $9,624)

Cal Poly vs. Hunter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 94 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Hunter (3.7)
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (54%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)

Cal Poly vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than CUNY Hunter College (75% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $20,600 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $48,800)
  • CUNY Hunter College students graduate with a $7,118 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($11,548 vs. $18,666)
  • Hunter graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($119 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 56%)

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