Cal Poly vs. UVA

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

 Cal Poly UVA
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly UVA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $51,870
Room & Board $16,449 $12,890
Avg Net Price $19,184 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 34%

Admission

 Cal Poly UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 50,926
Admitted 17,885 9,503
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 18.7%
Enrolled % 28.6% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.85
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 26/32 32/34
SAT Range 1220/1410 1400/1540
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 UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly UVA
Graduation Rate 75% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $201

Diversity

 Cal Poly UVA
% Men 51% 45%
% Women 49% 55%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 60%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

 Cal Poly UVA
% In-State 83% 62%
% Out-of-State 16% 33%

Campus

 Cal Poly UVA
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

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 195.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 194.3% higher at UVA than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($51,870.00 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 UVA ($19,184 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 27.6% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,890 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than University of Virginia Main Campus (42% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 166.4% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($26,818 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 105 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal Poly (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than UVA (18.7%)

Cal Poly vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (94% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $7,800 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $69,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $834 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($193 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal Poly students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 85%)

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