Cal Poly vs. IU

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

Cal Poly IU
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Bloomington, IN
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,000 47,005
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly IU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $37,685
Room & Board $16,449 $12,228
Avg Net Price $19,184 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 74%

Admission

Cal Poly IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 50,080
Admitted 17,885 41,272
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 82.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.74
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1180/1400
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

Academics

Cal Poly IU
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 (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly IU
Graduation Rate 75% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $232

Diversity

Cal Poly IU
% Men 51% 51%
% Women 49% 49%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 71%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Cal Poly IU
% In-State 83% 51%
% Out-of-State 16% 42%

Campus

Cal Poly IU
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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or IU?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 74.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($10,012.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 113.9% higher at IU than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($37,685.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Cal Poly ($16,234 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 34.5% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,228 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (74% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Bloomington students is 2.7% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($10,336 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 60 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (75% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $13,200 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $56,200)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $3,834 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($18,666 vs. $22,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($193 vs. $232)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU 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/