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USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA Caltech UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley UCSC UC Riverside Purdue| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | La Jolla, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 42,006 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #89 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ucsd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $16,710 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $16,111 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $20,782 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 55% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 131,197 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 31,103 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 23.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 21% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 28/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1270/1480 | ||
| 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 | UCSD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $67,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $191 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 81% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 8% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UCSD | ||
| 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 San Diego is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. UCSD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCSD?
- University of California San Diego 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 UCSD 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 San Diego than Cal Poly ($16,111 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 1.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($16,449 vs. $16,710)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (55% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 106.5% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($20,782 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 85 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal Poly (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCSD (3.82)
- Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than UCSD (23.7%)
Cal Poly vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or UCSD? 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 UCSD and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (85% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $1,500 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $67,900)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $166 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($18,500 vs. $18,666)
- UCSD graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($191 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSD 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/