Cal Poly vs. San Diego State

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or San Diego State 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

USD UCSD Caltech UC Riverside UCSB Cal State Fullerton UCSC Cal State Long Beach San Francisco State ASU UC Davis UW-Seattle
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. San Diego State University comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo San Diego State University College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo San Diego State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Cal Poly San Diego State
Location San Luis Obispo, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 37,402
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $16,449 $19,714
Avg Net Price $19,184 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 43%

Admission

Cal Poly San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 77,250
Admitted 17,885 30,331
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 39.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.82
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 26/32 22/29
SAT Range 1220/1410 1090/1300
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 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly San Diego State
Graduation Rate 75% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $193 $158

Diversity

Cal Poly San Diego State
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 34%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

Cal Poly San Diego State
% In-State 83% 77%
% Out-of-State 16% 21%

Campus

Cal Poly San Diego State
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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or San Diego State?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and San Diego State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Cal Poly as San Diego State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Cal Poly ($13,017 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 19.8% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,449 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (43% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 1.3% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,065 vs. $9,934)

Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 129 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or San Diego 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 San Diego State and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than San Diego State University (75% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $16,000 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $3,317 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,349 vs. $18,666)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($158 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)

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