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 22,000 34,292
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #363
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu oregonstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly OSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $10,425
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $31,200
Room & Board $16,449 $14,238
Avg Net Price $19,184 $21,163
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $9,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 88%

Admission

 Cal Poly OSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 25,651
Admitted 17,885 21,169
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 82.5%
Enrolled % 28.6% 21.3%
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, 2023 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Cal Poly OSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
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 51% 51%
% Women 49% 49%
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 83% 57%
% Out-of-State 16% 41%

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 (34,292 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. OSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or OSU?

  • Oregon State University is 81.6% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($10,425.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.1% higher at OSU than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($31,200.00 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 ($19,184 vs. $21,163)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oregon State University are 15.5% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,238 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (88% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 8.7% larger than aid received Oregon State University ($10,065 vs. $9,260)

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 (82.5%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

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/