NYU vs. Cal Poly

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

 NYU Cal Poly
Location New York, NY San Luis Obispo, CA
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 59,144 22,000
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #38 #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nyu.edu calpoly.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NYU Cal Poly
Tuition (In State) $55,384 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $55,384 $17,622
Room & Board $20,272 $16,449
Avg Net Price $29,499 $19,184
Avg Grant Aid $47,096 $10,065
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 42%

Admission

 NYU Cal Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 100,662 58,774
Admitted 12,539 17,885
Acceptance Rate 12.5% 30.4%
Enrolled % 49.3% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 26/32
SAT Range 1470/1570 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 NYU Cal Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 NYU Cal Poly
Graduation Rate 86% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,000 $69,400
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $18,666
Median Loan Payment $240 $193

Diversity

 NYU Cal Poly
% Men 41% 51%
% Women 59% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 57%
% Black 5% 1%
% Hispanic 12% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 17% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

 NYU Cal Poly
% In-State 26% 83%
% Out-of-State 52% 16%

Campus

 NYU Cal Poly
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (59,144 students vs. 22,000 students)

NYU vs. Cal Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NYU or Cal Poly?

  • New York University is 864.5% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($55,384.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 214.3% higher at NYU than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($55,384.00 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 NYU ($19,184 vs. $29,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 23.2% lower than costs at New York University ($16,449 vs. $20,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at New York University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (45% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New York University students is 367.9% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($47,096 vs. $10,065)

NYU vs. Cal Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at New York University (1360) is 101 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming NYU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal Poly (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than NYU (12.5%)

NYU vs. Cal Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at NYU is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (86% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from New York University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($76,000 vs. $69,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $4,584 lower median federal student loan debt than NYU graduates. ($18,666 vs. $23,250)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than NYU graduates. ($193 vs. $240)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NYU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 77%)

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