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UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Caltech UCSB Chapman UCSC Pepperdine SCU UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 8,815 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | sandiego.edu | ||
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Costs |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $53,810 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $53,810 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $17,010 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $36,008 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $36,408 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 83% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 14,334 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 7,541 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 52.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 16.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | |||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | |||
| 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 | Dec 15, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $70,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $22,904 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $236 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 53% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 6% | ||
| % International | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | USD | ||
| 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
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 8,815 students)
Cal Poly vs. USD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or USD?
- University of San Diego is 837.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 205.4% higher at USD than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($53,810.00 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 USD ($19,184 vs. $36,008)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 3.4% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($16,449 vs. $17,010)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (83% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 261.7% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($36,408 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 23 points higher than at USD (1236)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at USD (28)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USD (3.95)
- USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or USD? 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 USD and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is the same as at University of San Diego (75% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $800 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $69,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $4,238 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($18,666 vs. $22,904)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($193 vs. $236)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD 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/