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Clemson UNC Chapel Hill Virginia Tech Caltech UNC Charlotte UCSB UofSC San Diego State Penn State ASU UCSC ECU| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Raleigh, NC | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 36,700 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #123 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | ncsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $6,535 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $28,276 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $12,748 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $14,852 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,181 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 71% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 35,568 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 16,779 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 47.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 33.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 28/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1280/1460 | ||
| 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 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 72% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $57,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $20,782 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $214 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 14% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | NC State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. NC State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or NC State?
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($6,535.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 60.5% higher at NC State than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($28,276.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Cal Poly ($14,852 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 29% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,748 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (71% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 9.6% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($10,065 vs. $9,181)
Cal Poly vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or NC State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NC State or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 5 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at NC State (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at NC State (3.83)
- NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or NC 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 NC State and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (75% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $12,200 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $57,200)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $2,116 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($18,666 vs. $20,782)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($193 vs. $214)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/