Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Stony Brook Caltech Binghamton University UCSB Penn State San Diego State UCSC State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY at Geneseo Syracuse ASU| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University at Buffalo | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Buffalo, NY | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 32,099 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #103 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | buffalo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $7,070 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $24,990 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $16,212 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $18,524 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $8,521 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 74% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 30,939 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 20,948 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 67.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 20.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 25/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1190/1380 | ||
| 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 | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 12:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $58,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $201 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 52% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 48% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 5% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 3% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UB | ||
| 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
- University at Buffalo is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (32,099 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. UB Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UB?
- University at Buffalo is 23.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 41.8% higher at UB than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($24,990.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University at Buffalo than Cal Poly ($18,524 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University at Buffalo are 1.5% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,212 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (74% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 18.1% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,065 vs. $8,521)
Cal Poly vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UB or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 86 points higher than at UB (1173)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UB (27)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UB (3.75)
- UB has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UB? 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 UB and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University at Buffalo (75% vs. 71%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $11,000 more per year than UB graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $58,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $834 lower median federal student loan debt than UB graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,500)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than UB graduates. ($193 vs. $201)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/