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Caltech San Francisco State UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI USD| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of San Francisco | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Francisco, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,485 | 9,212 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #146 | #116 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | usfca.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $57,670 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $57,670 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,220 | $17,300 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,888 | $44,104 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,707 | $32,492 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 97% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 63,736 | 25,709 | ||
| Admitted | 18,964 | 13,052 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 50.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.8% | 8.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1210/1390 | ||
| 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, 2024 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $70,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $258 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 19% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 32% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | USF | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (22,485 students vs. 9,212 students)
Cal Poly vs. USF Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or USF?
- University of San Francisco is 904.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($57,670.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 227.3% higher at USF than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($57,670.00 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 USF ($16,888 vs. $44,104)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 0.5% lower than costs at University of San Francisco ($17,220 vs. $17,300)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (97% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 155.7% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($32,492 vs. $12,707)
Cal Poly vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or USF? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USF or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 87 points higher than at USF (1172)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at USF (26)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USF (3.57)
- USF has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)
Cal Poly vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or USF? 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 USF and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of San Francisco (75% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $1,000 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $69,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,334 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,000)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($193 vs. $258)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/