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Caltech UCSD UCSB UCI UCSC San Diego State UC Berkeley UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCLA UC Merced| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Davis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Davis, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 39,679 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #92 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucdavis.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $17,692 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $17,385 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $20,548 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 57% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 94,747 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 35,377 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 37.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1160/1400 | ||
| 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 | UC Davis | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $65,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $14,676 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $151 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 41% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 59% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 28% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 7% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UC Davis | ||
| 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 of California Davis is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (39,679 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. UC Davis Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UC Davis?
- University of California Davis is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Davis than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than Cal Poly ($17,385 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 7.6% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($16,449 vs. $17,692)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Davis than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 104.2% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($20,548 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UC Davis Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UC Davis? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Davis or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 33 points higher than at UC Davis (1226)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UC Davis (28)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have at the same average high school GPA (4.0) as students at UC Davis (4.0)
- UC Davis has a higher acceptance rate (37.3%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. UC Davis Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UC Davis? 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 UC Davis and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (82% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $4,200 more per year than UC Davis graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $65,200)
- University of California Davis students graduate with a $3,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($14,676 vs. $18,666)
- UC Davis graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($151 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Davis students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/