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Florida UCF USF Main Campus Caltech Auburn UCSB FIU San Diego State Georgia UCSC UofSC FAU| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Florida State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Florida State | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Tallahassee, FL | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,485 | 43,234 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #146 | #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 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $16,540 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,220 | $12,740 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,888 | $14,903 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,707 | $8,731 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 86% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Florida State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 63,736 | 74,038 | ||
| Admitted | 18,964 | 18,793 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 25.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.8% | 31.3% | ||
| 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 | 27/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1240/1390 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Mar 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | Florida State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 2% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 16% | ||
| 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 | 86% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 16% | ||
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 (43,234 students vs. 22,485 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 ($14,903 vs. $16,888)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 35.2% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,740 vs. $17,220)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (86% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 45.5% larger than aid received Florida State University ($12,707 vs. $8,731)
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 (29.8%) than Florida State (25.4%)
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/