Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Caltech UCSB Pomona San Diego State UCSC Claremont McKenna UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCI Stanford| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Harvey Mudd College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Claremont, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 922 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | hmc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $62,516 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $62,516 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $19,879 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $39,850 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $42,386 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 57% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 4,440 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 593 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 13.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 40% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.96 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1480/1560 | ||
| 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, 2023 | Jan 5, 2024 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 84% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $84,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | - | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $25,540 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $264 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 8% | ||
| % International | 2% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 5% |
Students |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 43% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | HMC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than HMC based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 922 students)
Cal Poly vs. HMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or HMC?
- Harvey Mudd College is 988.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 254.8% higher at HMC than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($62,516.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than HMC ($19,184 vs. $39,850)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 20.9% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($16,449 vs. $19,879)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvey Mudd College students is 321.1% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($42,386 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. HMC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or HMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between HMC or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 225 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming HMC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cal Poly (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at HMC (3.96)
- Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than HMC (13.4%)
Cal Poly vs. HMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or HMC? 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 HMC and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at HMC is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (84% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $15,500 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $69,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,874 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,540)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($193 vs. $264)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/