Cal Poly vs. Minnesota

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or University of Minnesota Twin Cities? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Minnesota 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 Minnesota Twin Cities comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Minnesota Twin Cities College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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Overview

Cal Poly Minnesota
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 54,955
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #140
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $14,006
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,246
Room & Board $16,449 $11,894
Avg Net Price $19,184 $16,018
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $11,388
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 63%

Admission

Cal Poly Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 38,050
Admitted 17,885 28,504
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 74.9%
Enrolled % 28.6% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.75
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1290/1500
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 1, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Minnesota
Graduation Rate 75% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $193 $208

Diversity

Cal Poly Minnesota
% Men 51% 44%
% Women 49% 56%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 70%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Minnesota
% In-State 83% 68%
% Out-of-State 16% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (54,955 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Minnesota?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 143.9% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.7% higher at Minnesota than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($33,246.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than Cal Poly ($16,018 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 38.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,894 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (63% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Minnesota Twin Cities students is 13.1% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,388 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 29 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Minnesota (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (74.9%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (75% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $11,200 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $58,200)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $1,519 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota graduates. ($18,666 vs. $20,185)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota graduates. ($193 vs. $208)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/