Cal Poly vs. Penn State

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

 Cal Poly Penn State
Location San Luis Obispo, CA University Park, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly Penn State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $35,946
Room & Board $16,449 $12,744
Avg Net Price $19,184 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 44%

Admission

 Cal Poly Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 85,784
Admitted 17,885 47,360
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 28.6% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 -
Typical High School Grades A/A+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 26/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1210/1390
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

Academics

 Cal Poly Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Cal Poly Penn State
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 69%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Cal Poly Penn State
% In-State 83% 51%
% Out-of-State 16% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 219.9% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104% higher at Penn State than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($35,946.00 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 Penn State ($19,184 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 29.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,744 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (44% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 0% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,066 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 57 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Penn 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 Penn State and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (87% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $14,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $55,300)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $8,152 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($18,666 vs. $26,818)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans 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/