Cal Poly vs. Loyola Marymount

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

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 10,165
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #70
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu lmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $54,630
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $54,630
Room & Board $16,449 $16,098
Avg Net Price $19,184 $52,815
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $20,901
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 100%

Admission

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 21,695
Admitted 17,885 8,963
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 41.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 17.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.92
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 29/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1300/1460
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, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Graduation Rate 75% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $65,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $21,668
Median Loan Payment $193 $224

Diversity

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
% Men 51% 44%
% Women 49% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 45%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 8%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
% In-State 83% 55%
% Out-of-State 16% 33%

Campus

Cal Poly Loyola Marymount
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Loyola Marymount based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 10,165 students)

Cal Poly vs. Loyola Marymount Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Loyola Marymount?

  • Loyola Marymount University is 851.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($54,630.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 210% higher at Loyola Marymount than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($54,630.00 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 Loyola Marymount ($19,184 vs. $52,815)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Loyola Marymount University are 2.2% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,098 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola Marymount University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (100% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola Marymount University students is 107.7% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($20,901 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Loyola Marymount Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 37 points higher than at Loyola Marymount (1222)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Loyola Marymount (28)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Loyola Marymount (3.92)
  • Loyola Marymount has a higher acceptance rate (41.3%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Loyola Marymount Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Loyola Marymount? 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 Loyola Marymount and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Loyola Marymount is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (77% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $3,700 more per year than Loyola Marymount graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $65,700)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $3,002 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola Marymount graduates. ($18,666 vs. $21,668)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola Marymount graduates. ($193 vs. $224)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Loyola Marymount students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 79%)

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