Cal Poly vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University

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

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Location San Luis Obispo, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,485 298
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #146
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu jpcatholic.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $28,500
Room & Board $17,220 $15,099
Avg Net Price $16,888 $31,811
Avg Grant Aid $12,707 $15,709
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 98%

Admission

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,736 280
Admitted 18,964 222
Acceptance Rate 29.8% 79.3%Open
Enrolled % 27.8% 33.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.56
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 21/27
SAT Range 1220/1410 1090/1260
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, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (26%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Graduation Rate 75% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 85% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $193 $266

Diversity

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 2% 0%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 54%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 23%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 12%

Students

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
% In-State 86% 49%
% Out-of-State 14% 43%

Campus

Cal Poly John Paul the Great Catholic University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
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 John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (22,485 students vs. 298 students)

Cal Poly vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or John Paul the Great Catholic University?

  • John Paul the Great Catholic University is 396.3% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.7% higher at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($28,500.00 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University ($16,888 vs. $31,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Paul the Great Catholic University are 14% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,099 vs. $17,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (98% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Paul the Great Catholic University students is 23.6% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,709 vs. $12,707)

Cal Poly vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 153 points higher than at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1106)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at John Paul the Great Catholic University (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at John Paul the Great Catholic University (3.56)
  • John Paul the Great Catholic University has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)

Cal Poly vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and Cal Poly.

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $7,084 lower median federal student loan debt than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,750)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($193 vs. $266)

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