Cal Poly vs. Pitt

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

Cal Poly Pitt
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 33,767
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #128
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu pitt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Pitt
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $19,760
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $36,000
Room & Board $16,449 $12,360
Avg Net Price $19,184 $24,286
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,919
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 85%

Admission

Cal Poly Pitt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 53,072
Admitted 17,885 26,079
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 49.1%
Enrolled % 28.6% 16.8%
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 29/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1280/1470
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

Academics

Cal Poly Pitt
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Pitt
Graduation Rate 75% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $26,909
Median Loan Payment $193 $278

Diversity

Cal Poly Pitt
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 74%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Pitt
% In-State 83% 54%
% Out-of-State 16% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (33,767 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Pitt?

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is 244.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($19,760.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.3% higher at Pitt than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($36,000.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than Pitt ($19,184 vs. $24,286)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 33.1% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,360 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (85% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus students is 8.5% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,919 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Pitt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (1272) is 13 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Pitt (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Pitt (3.79)
  • Pitt has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pitt is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (79% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $11,400 more per year than Pitt graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $58,000)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $8,243 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($18,666 vs. $26,909)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($193 vs. $278)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pitt students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

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