Cal Poly vs. Michigan Tech

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

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Houghton, MI
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 22,000 7,063
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #293
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu mtu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $17,296
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $39,256
Room & Board $16,449 $12,058
Avg Net Price $19,184 $18,235
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $16,114
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 100%

Admission

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 7,893
Admitted 17,885 7,394
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 93.7%
Enrolled % 28.6% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.78
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 24/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1130/1350
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 Michigan Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Engineering (56%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (4%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
Graduation Rate 75% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $66,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $26,900
Median Loan Payment $193 $278

Diversity

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
% Men 51% 70%
% Women 49% 30%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 86%
% Black 1% 1%
% Hispanic 16% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
% In-State 83% 76%
% Out-of-State 16% 24%

Campus

Cal Poly Michigan Tech
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

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Michigan Tech based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 7,063 students)

Cal Poly vs. Michigan Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Michigan Tech?

  • Michigan Technological University is 201.2% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($17,296.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 122.8% higher at Michigan Tech than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($39,256.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan Technological University than Cal Poly ($18,235 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan Technological University are 36.4% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,058 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Michigan Technological University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (100% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Michigan Technological University students is 60.1% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,114 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Michigan Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 52 points higher than at Michigan Tech (1207)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Michigan Tech (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Michigan Tech (3.78)
  • Michigan Tech has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Michigan Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Michigan Tech? 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 Michigan Tech and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Michigan Technological University (75% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $3,400 more per year than Michigan Tech graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $66,000)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $8,234 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan Tech graduates. ($18,666 vs. $26,900)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan Tech graduates. ($193 vs. $278)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan Tech students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 79%)

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