Cal Poly vs. Penn State

Deciding between California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Cal Poly Small Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cal Poly 23,069
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Cal Poly Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cal Poly #151
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cal Poly -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Cal Poly Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cal Poly
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cal Poly $13,596
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cal Poly $34,665
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Cal Poly $18,792
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Cal Poly $17,453
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cal Poly $14,338
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cal Poly 48%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cal Poly 68,371
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Cal Poly 21,416
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cal Poly 31.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Cal Poly 24.6%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cal Poly 1320
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cal Poly 29
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cal Poly 4.0
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cal Poly A/A+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cal Poly Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cal Poly High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Cal Poly 26/32
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Cal Poly 1220/1410
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cal Poly Test-free
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Cal Poly Nov 30, 2026
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cal Poly 19:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cal Poly
    • Engineering (24%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Agriculture (15%)
    • Architecture (8%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cal Poly 75%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cal Poly $69,400
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cal Poly 85%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cal Poly $18,666
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cal Poly $193
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cal Poly 49%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Cal Poly 51%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cal Poly High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Cal Poly No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Cal Poly 57%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Cal Poly 12%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Cal Poly 1%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cal Poly 16%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Cal Poly 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cal Poly 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cal Poly 7%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Cal Poly 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cal Poly 5%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cal Poly 83%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cal Poly 17%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cal Poly No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cal Poly No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo, CA with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 23,069 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, CA (Small Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 19:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than Penn State ($17,453 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 23% lower than at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,474 vs. $18,792).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 51.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal Poly (about $7,048 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $13,596.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 20.6% higher at Penn State than at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (about $7,125 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $34,665.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than at Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 26.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($14,338 vs. $11,336).

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Cal Poly.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 10 points higher than at Cal Poly (1320).
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 29) as students at Penn State (29).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 1220/1410; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 26/32; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal Poly - Test-free; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cal Poly Nov 30, 2026.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Cal Poly (31.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 24.6% at Cal Poly vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal Poly and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo's (75%).
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of about $14,100 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($69,400 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates have a $8,152 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($18,666 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Cal Poly graduates have an estimated $84 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($193 vs. $277).
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.