Cal Poly vs. UT Austin

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or The University of Texas at Austin? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or UT Austin 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. The University of Texas at Austin comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo The University of Texas at Austin College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo The University of Texas at Austin
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Overview

Cal Poly UT Austin
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Austin, TX
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 52,384
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #100
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu utexas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly UT Austin
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,698
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,070
Room & Board $16,449 $13,058
Avg Net Price $19,184 $17,434
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $8,321
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 86%

Admission

Cal Poly UT Austin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 60,055
Admitted 17,885 18,830
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 31.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 48.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.8
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 26/32 26/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1230/1500
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 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

Cal Poly UT Austin
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly UT Austin
Graduation Rate 75% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $68,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $193 $230

Diversity

Cal Poly UT Austin
% Men 51% 44%
% Women 49% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 44%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly UT Austin
% In-State 83% 88%
% Out-of-State 16% 8%

Campus

Cal Poly UT Austin
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

  • The University of Texas at Austin is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (52,384 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. UT Austin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UT Austin?

  • The University of Texas at Austin is 103.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,698.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 133.1% higher at UT Austin than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($41,070.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas at Austin than Cal Poly ($17,434 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at Austin are 26% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($13,058 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Texas at Austin than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (86% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 21% larger than aid received The University of Texas at Austin ($10,065 vs. $8,321)

Cal Poly vs. UT Austin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Texas at Austin (1297) is 38 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at UT Austin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UT Austin (3.8)
  • UT Austin has a higher acceptance rate (31.4%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. UT Austin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or UT Austin? 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 UT Austin and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at UT Austin is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (81% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $800 more per year than UT Austin graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $68,600)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $3,584 lower median federal student loan debt than UT Austin graduates. ($18,666 vs. $22,250)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than UT Austin graduates. ($193 vs. $230)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Austin students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 77%)

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