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Caltech UC Riverside UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI CSU| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 83% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 960/1140 | ||
| 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 Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UC Merced | ||
| 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
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 9,103 students)
Cal Poly vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced 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 Merced 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 Merced than Cal Poly ($13,549 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 17.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,449 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (83% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 157% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($25,868 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 234 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UC Merced? 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 Merced and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of California Merced (75% vs. 58%)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $1,233 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,899)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($193 vs. $205)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/