Cal Poly vs. Saint Marys College of California

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

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Moraga, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 2,765
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #254
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu stmarys-ca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $53,732
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $53,732
Room & Board $16,449 $16,404
Avg Net Price $19,184 $32,129
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $39,139
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 100%

Admission

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 3,353
Admitted 17,885 2,947
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 87.9%
Enrolled % 28.6% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.6
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 21/28
SAT Range 1220/1410 1070/1253
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
Graduation Rate 75% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $66,800
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $258

Diversity

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
% Men 51% 41%
% Women 49% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 46%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 25%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
% In-State 83% 83%
% Out-of-State 16% 14%

Campus

Cal Poly Saint Marys College of California
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

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than Saint Marys College of California based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 2,765 students)

Cal Poly vs. Saint Marys College of California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Saint Marys College of California?

  • Saint Marys College of California is 835.8% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($53,732.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 204.9% higher at Saint Marys College of California than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($53,732.00 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 Saint Marys College of California ($19,184 vs. $32,129)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Marys College of California are 0.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,404 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Marys College of California than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (100% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Marys College of California students is 288.9% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($39,139 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Saint Marys College of California Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 135 points higher than at Saint Marys College of California (1124)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Saint Marys College of California (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Saint Marys College of California (3.6)
  • Saint Marys College of California has a higher acceptance rate (87.9%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Saint Marys College of California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Saint Marys College of California? 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 Saint Marys College of California and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Saint Marys College of California (75% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $2,600 more per year than Saint Marys College of California graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $66,800)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,334 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Marys College of California graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,000)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Marys College of California graduates. ($193 vs. $258)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Marys College of California students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 71%)

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