Cal Poly vs. Texas A&M

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

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Location San Luis Obispo, CA College Station, TX
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 22,485 76,633
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #146 #121
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu tamu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $9,199
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $36,428
Room & Board $17,220 $13,154
Avg Net Price $16,888 $21,610
Avg Grant Aid $12,707 $11,607
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 61%

Admission

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,736 50,832
Admitted 18,964 32,149
Acceptance Rate 29.8% 63.2%
Enrolled % 27.8% 42.8%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.68
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 25/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1140/1380
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Agriculture (10%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Graduation Rate 75% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $65,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $193 $193

Diversity

Cal Poly Texas A&M
% Men 2% 11%
% Women 2% 10%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 65%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Cal Poly Texas A&M
% In-State 86% 94%
% Out-of-State 14% 5%

Campus

Cal Poly Texas A&M
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

  • Texas A&M University College Station is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (76,633 students vs. 22,485 students)

Cal Poly vs. Texas A&M Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Texas A&M?

  • Texas A&M University College Station is 60.2% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($9,199.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.7% higher at Texas A&M than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($36,428.00 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 Texas A&M ($16,888 vs. $21,610)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University College Station are 30.9% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($13,154 vs. $17,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas A&M University College Station than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (61% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 9.5% larger than aid received Texas A&M University College Station ($12,707 vs. $11,607)

Cal Poly vs. Texas A&M Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 47 points higher than at Texas A&M (1212)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Texas A&M (28)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Texas A&M (3.68)
  • Texas A&M has a higher acceptance rate (63.2%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)

Cal Poly vs. Texas A&M Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Texas A&M? 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 Texas A&M and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Texas A&M is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (81% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $3,800 more per year than Texas A&M graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $65,600)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $84 lower median federal student loan debt than Texas A&M graduates. ($18,666 vs. $18,750)
  • Texas A&M University College Station and Cal Poly graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($193 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Texas A&M students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 81%)

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