Cal Poly vs. Florida State

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

Cal Poly Florida State
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Tallahassee, FL
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 22,000 44,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Florida State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $16,540
Room & Board $16,449 $11,592
Avg Net Price $19,184 $14,003
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 89%

Admission

Cal Poly Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 78,088
Admitted 17,885 19,552
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 25%
Enrolled % 28.6% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.7
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 26/32 26/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1210/1370
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Florida State
Graduation Rate 75% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $193 $214

Diversity

Cal Poly Florida State
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 64%
% Black 1% 8%
% Hispanic 16% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Florida State
% In-State 83% 85%
% Out-of-State 16% 14%

Campus

Cal Poly Florida State
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

  • Florida State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Florida State?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is 42.8% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Cal Poly than Florida State University ($17,622.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Cal Poly ($14,003 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 41.9% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,592 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (89% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida State University students is 1% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,169 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 44 points higher than at Florida State (1215)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Florida State (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Florida State (3.7)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than Florida State (25%)

Cal Poly vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Florida State? 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 Florida State and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Florida State University (75% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $18,000 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $51,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $2,084 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($18,666 vs. $20,750)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($193 vs. $214)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 63%)

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