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UCSC Caltech San Diego State UC Merced UCSB UCI UCSD San Jose State ASU UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Riverside | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Riverside, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 26,809 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #272 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucr.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $17,333 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $14,487 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $22,042 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 75% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 54,683 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 37,563 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 68.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 14.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.84 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 22/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1080/1280 | ||
| 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 Riverside | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 24:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $52,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $19,109 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $197 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 36% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 94% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UC Riverside | ||
| 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 Riverside is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (26,809 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. UC Riverside Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UC Riverside?
- University of California Riverside 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 Riverside 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 Riverside than Cal Poly ($14,487 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 5.4% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($16,449 vs. $17,333)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (75% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 119% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($22,042 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UC Riverside Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UC Riverside? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Riverside or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 140 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UC Riverside (26)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UC Riverside (3.84)
- UC Riverside has a higher acceptance rate (68.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. UC Riverside Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UC Riverside? 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 Riverside and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of California Riverside (75% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $17,200 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $52,200)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $443 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Riverside graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,109)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than UC Riverside graduates. ($193 vs. $197)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/