Cal Poly vs. Rutgers

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Rutgers 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

NJIT TCNJ Penn State Caltech Seton Hall University Rutgers University-Camden UCSB SUNY Stony Brook San Diego State UCSC Binghamton University UMass
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Rutgers University New Brunswick
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cal Poly Rutgers
Location San Luis Obispo, CA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 50,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $30,600
Room & Board $16,449 $13,909
Avg Net Price $19,184 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 57%

Admission

 Cal Poly Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 41,654
Admitted 17,885 27,612
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 66.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.3
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 28/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1270/1480
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

Academics

 Cal Poly Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly Rutgers
Graduation Rate 75% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $193 $229

Diversity

 Cal Poly Rutgers
% Men 51% 46%
% Women 49% 54%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 42%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 16% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Cal Poly Rutgers
% In-State 83% 85%
% Out-of-State 16% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Rutgers?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 124.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.6% higher at Rutgers than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($30,600.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Cal Poly ($17,535 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 18.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($13,909 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 27% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,785 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 34 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (77% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $3,200 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $66,200)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $3,549 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($18,666 vs. $22,215)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($193 vs. $229)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 68%)

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