Cal Poly vs. Illinois

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Illinois is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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Overview

 Cal Poly Illinois
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Champaign, IL
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 56,916
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #106
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu illinois.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly Illinois
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,474
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $30,446
Room & Board $16,449 $12,720
Avg Net Price $19,184 $14,544
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $16,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 54%

Admission

 Cal Poly Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 63,257
Admitted 17,885 28,354
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 44.8%
Enrolled % 28.6% 28.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.79
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 29/34
SAT Range 1220/1410 1320/1510
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

 Cal Poly Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly Illinois
Graduation Rate 75% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $66,500
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $211

Diversity

 Cal Poly Illinois
% Men 51% 54%
% Women 49% 46%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 48%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 16%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Cal Poly Illinois
% In-State 83% 71%
% Out-of-State 16% 11%

Campus

 Cal Poly Illinois
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Illinois?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 117.2% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.8% higher at Illinois than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($30,446.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Cal Poly ($14,544 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 29.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,720 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (54% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 64.5% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,552 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Illinois or Cal Poly .

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 46 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Illinois? 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 Illinois and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois 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 $2,900 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $66,500)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $1,834 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($18,666 vs. $20,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($193 vs. $211)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois 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/