Cal Poly vs. OSU

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

Cal Poly OSU
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Corvallis, OR
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,485 35,622
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #146 #379
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu oregonstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly OSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,145
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,315
Room & Board $17,220 $15,075
Avg Net Price $16,888 $21,868
Avg Grant Aid $12,707 $9,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 89%

Admission

Cal Poly OSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,736 29,025
Admitted 18,964 22,886
Acceptance Rate 29.8% 78.8%
Enrolled % 27.8% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.61
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 21/28
SAT Range 1220/1410 1120/1370
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly OSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly OSU
Graduation Rate 75% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $53,900
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $242

Diversity

Cal Poly OSU
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 2% 8%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 67%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Cal Poly OSU
% In-State 86% 57%
% Out-of-State 14% 40%

Campus

Cal Poly OSU
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

  • Oregon State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (35,622 students vs. 22,485 students)

Cal Poly vs. OSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or OSU?

  • Oregon State University is 94.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,145.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89.1% higher at OSU than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($33,315.00 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 OSU ($16,888 vs. $21,868)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oregon State University are 14.2% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,075 vs. $17,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (89% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 28.1% larger than aid received Oregon State University ($12,707 vs. $9,922)

Cal Poly vs. OSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 146 points higher than at OSU (1113)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at OSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at OSU (3.61)
  • OSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.8%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)

Cal Poly vs. OSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Oregon State University (75% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $15,500 more per year than OSU graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $53,900)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $4,834 lower median federal student loan debt than OSU graduates. ($18,666 vs. $23,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than OSU graduates. ($193 vs. $242)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OSU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 66%)

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