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Caltech Cal State Long Beach UCSB San Jose State San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle Pomona UCI Colorado School of Mines| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | California State Polytechnic University Pomona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Pomona, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,485 | 26,848 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #146 | #590 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | csupomona.edu | ||
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Costs |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,220 | $16,330 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,888 | $11,898 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,707 | $10,441 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 72% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 63,736 | 45,775 | ||
| Admitted | 18,964 | 33,737 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 73.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.8% | 12.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 19/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1010/1250 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $55,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $19,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $196 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 19% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 40% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 4% |
Students |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| % In-State | 86% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| 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
- California State Polytechnic University Pomona is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (26,848 students vs. 22,485 students)
Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona?
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at Cal Poly as California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than Cal Poly ($11,898 vs. $16,888)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Pomona are 5.5% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,330 vs. $17,220)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (72% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 21.7% larger than aid received California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($12,707 vs. $10,441)
Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 193 points higher than at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (1066)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (24)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (3.69)
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has a higher acceptance rate (73.7%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)
Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? 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 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than California State Polytechnic University Pomona (75% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $14,000 more per year than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $55,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $334 lower median federal student loan debt than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,000)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($193 vs. $196)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State Polytechnic University-Pomona students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 72%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/