Cal Poly vs. HMC

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or Harvey Mudd College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or HMC 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Caltech UCSB Pomona San Diego State UCSC Claremont McKenna UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCI Stanford
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. Harvey Mudd College comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Harvey Mudd College College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Harvey Mudd College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Cal Poly HMC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 922
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu hmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly HMC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $62,516
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $62,516
Room & Board $16,449 $19,879
Avg Net Price $19,184 $39,850
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $42,386
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 57%

Admission

Cal Poly HMC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 4,440
Admitted 17,885 593
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 13.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 40%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.96
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 26/32 34/36
SAT Range 1220/1410 1480/1560
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly HMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly HMC
Graduation Rate 75% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $84,900
Making Student Loan Payments 85% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,540
Median Loan Payment $193 $264

Diversity

Cal Poly HMC
% Men 51% 51%
% Women 49% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 38%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 8%
% International 2% 13%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

Cal Poly HMC
% In-State 83% 43%
% Out-of-State 16% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than HMC based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 922 students)

Cal Poly vs. HMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or HMC?

  • Harvey Mudd College is 988.7% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254.8% higher at HMC than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($62,516.00 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 HMC ($19,184 vs. $39,850)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 20.9% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($16,449 vs. $19,879)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvey Mudd College students is 321.1% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($42,386 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. HMC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 225 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming HMC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cal Poly (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at HMC (3.96)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than HMC (13.4%)

Cal Poly vs. HMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at HMC is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (84% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $15,500 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $69,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,874 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,540)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($193 vs. $264)

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