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Caltech UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI Colorado School of Mines UC Merced| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Whittier College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Whittier, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 1,192 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #273 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | whittier.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $48,924 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $48,924 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $15,623 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $28,368 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $34,623 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 100% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 3,014 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 2,274 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 75.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 10.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 24/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1140/1340 | ||
| 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 | Whittier College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $47,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $25,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $263 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 44% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Whittier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 64% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 27% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Whittier 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 Whittier College based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 1,192 students)
Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Whittier College?
- Whittier College is 752% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($48,924.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 177.6% higher at Whittier College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($48,924.00 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 Whittier College ($19,184 vs. $28,368)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whittier College are 5.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,623 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (100% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Whittier College students is 244% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($34,623 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Whittier College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Whittier College or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 202 points higher than at Whittier College (1057)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Whittier College (23)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Whittier College (3.61)
- Whittier College has a higher acceptance rate (75.4%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Whittier 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 Whittier College and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Whittier College (75% vs. 55%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $22,000 more per year than Whittier College graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $47,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,834 lower median federal student loan debt than Whittier College graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,500)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Whittier College graduates. ($193 vs. $263)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Whittier College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/