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UC Berkeley UCI UCSD Caltech Michigan USC UCSB Stanford San Diego State UCSC UC Davis UVA| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Los Angeles | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 46,430 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #58 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucla.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $17,231 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $16,999 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $21,766 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 46% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 149,801 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 12,845 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 8.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 50.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 29/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1300/1530 | ||
| 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 | UCLA | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $70,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $16,300 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $168 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 21% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 15% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UCLA | ||
| 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 Los Angeles is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. UCLA Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCLA?
- University of California Los Angeles 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 UCLA 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 Los Angeles than Cal Poly ($16,999 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 4.8% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($16,449 vs. $17,231)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Los Angeles than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (46% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 116.3% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($21,766 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UCLA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCLA or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 80 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming UCLA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal Poly (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCLA (3.92)
- Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than UCLA (8.6%)
Cal Poly vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UCLA? 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 UCLA and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (90% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn on average $1,300 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($70,700 vs. $69,400)
- University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $2,366 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($16,300 vs. $18,666)
- UCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($168 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCLA students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/