Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Harvard Caltech UCSB MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC San Diego State Yale UCSC Princeton| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Stanford University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Stanford, CA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 18,283 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #2 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | stanford.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $57,693 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $57,693 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $18,619 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $18,279 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $60,619 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 53% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 56,378 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 2,075 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 3.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 83.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.96 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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 2, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 5:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $122,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $12,475 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $128 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 37% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 10% | ||
| % International | 2% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 35% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 48% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Stanford | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| 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 Stanford based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 18,283 students)
Cal Poly vs. Stanford Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Stanford?
- Stanford University is 904.8% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 227.4% higher at Stanford than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($57,693.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Cal Poly ($18,279 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 13.2% lower than costs at Stanford University ($16,449 vs. $18,619)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (53% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 502.3% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($60,619 vs. $10,065)
Cal Poly vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Stanford? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Stanford or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 220 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
- Incoming Stanford students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cal Poly (29)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Stanford (3.96)
- Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than Stanford (3.7%)
Cal Poly vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Stanford? 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 Stanford and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (96% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $53,500 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $69,400)
- Stanford University students graduate with a $6,191 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($12,475 vs. $18,666)
- Stanford graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($128 vs. $193)
- More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal Poly students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 85%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/