UC Davis vs. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Davis in Davis, CA with California State Polytechnic University Humboldt in Arcata, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of California Davis is larger than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt based on total student enrollment (40,065 students vs. 6,237 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Davis is located in Davis, CA (Small Suburban setting); California State Polytechnic University Humboldt is in Arcata, CA (Remote Town setting).
• University of California Davis is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State Polytechnic University Humboldt is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Davis 22:1; California State Polytechnic University Humboldt 16:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt are 27.3% lower than at University of California Davis ($14,118 vs. $19,426).
• Out-of-state tuition is 144.5% higher at UC Davis than at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt (about $30,124 more per year; $50,974 vs. $20,850).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt than at University of California Davis (66% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 128.8% larger than aid received by California State Polytechnic University Humboldt students ($24,591 vs. $10,748).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 8 points higher at UC Davis than at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (29 vs. 21, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both UC Davis and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Davis Nov 30, 2026; California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Apr 30, 2027.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Davis average a 4.0 high school GPA, 0.67 higher than at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (3.33).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.4% at UC Davis vs. 5.9% at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Davis graduates have a $4,824 lower median loan debt than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates ($14,676 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers, UC Davis graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt graduates ($151 vs. $201).
• More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt students, three years after graduation (82% vs. 56%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.