Cal Poly vs. Westmont College

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

 Cal Poly Westmont College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 1,284
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #146
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu westmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal Poly Westmont College
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $48,840
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $48,840
Room & Board $16,449 $15,760
Avg Net Price $19,184 $33,112
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $33,900
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 97%

Admission

 Cal Poly Westmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 2,326
Admitted 17,885 1,907
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 82%
Enrolled % 28.6% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.59
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 30/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1280/1458
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 Westmont College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Cal Poly Westmont College
Graduation Rate 75% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,123
Median Loan Payment $193 $259

Diversity

 Cal Poly Westmont College
% Men 51% 39%
% Women 49% 61%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 64%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

 Cal Poly Westmont College
% In-State 83% 65%
% Out-of-State 16% 33%

Campus

 Cal Poly Westmont College
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

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Westmont College based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 1,284 students)

Cal Poly vs. Westmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Westmont College?

  • Westmont College is 750.6% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($48,840.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 177.2% higher at Westmont College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($48,840.00 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 Westmont College ($19,184 vs. $33,112)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westmont College are 4.4% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,760 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westmont College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (97% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westmont College students is 236.8% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($33,900 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Westmont College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 80 points higher than at Westmont College (1179)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Westmont College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Westmont College (3.59)
  • Westmont College has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Westmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Westmont College? 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 Westmont College and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Westmont College is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (77% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $14,800 more per year than Westmont College graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $54,600)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,457 lower median federal student loan debt than Westmont College graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,123)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Westmont College graduates. ($193 vs. $259)
  • More Westmont College 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/