Cal Poly vs. Ohio State

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

Cal Poly Ohio State
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Columbus, OH
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 60,540
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,525
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $35,762
Room & Board $16,449 $14,006
Avg Net Price $19,184 $19,582
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,993
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 74%

Admission

Cal Poly Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 65,189
Admitted 17,885 34,370
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.6% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.76
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 1310/1480
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Ohio State
Graduation Rate 75% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $222

Diversity

Cal Poly Ohio State
% Men 51% 48%
% Women 49% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 71%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Cal Poly Ohio State
% In-State 83% 66%
% Out-of-State 16% 23%

Campus

Cal Poly Ohio State
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

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Ohio State?

  • Ohio State University is 100.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,525.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.9% higher at Ohio State than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($35,762.00 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 Ohio State ($19,184 vs. $19,582)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University are 17.4% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,006 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (74% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University students is 9.2% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,993 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 36 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Ohio State? 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 Ohio State and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (80% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $18,800 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $50,600)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $2,834 lower median federal student loan debt than Ohio State graduates. ($18,666 vs. $21,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Ohio State graduates. ($193 vs. $222)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 63%)

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