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USD UCSD Caltech UC Riverside UCSB Cal State Fullerton UCSC Cal State Long Beach San Francisco State ASU UC Davis UW-Seattle| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 37,402 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $19,714 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $13,017 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,934 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 43% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 77,250 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 30,331 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 39.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 21.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1090/1300 | ||
| 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 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 25:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $158 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 4% |
Students |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 21% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | San Diego State | ||
| 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
- San Diego State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or San Diego State?
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and San Diego State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at Cal Poly as San Diego State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Cal Poly ($13,017 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 19.8% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,449 vs. $19,714)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (43% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 1.3% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,065 vs. $9,934)
Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 129 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
- San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or San Diego 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 San Diego State and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than San Diego State University (75% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $16,000 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $3,317 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,349 vs. $18,666)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($158 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/