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 22,000 74,014
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #115
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 $9,339
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $36,239
Room & Board $16,449 $11,550
Avg Net Price $19,184 $20,375
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $12,278
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 59%

Admission

Cal Poly Texas A&M
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 43,422
Admitted 17,885 27,203
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 62.6%
Enrolled % 28.6% 45.9%
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 1150/1390
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 20:1 18:1
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 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
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 83% 93%
% Out-of-State 16% 6%

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 (74,014 students vs. 22,000 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 62.6% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($9,339.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.6% higher at Texas A&M than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($36,239.00 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 ($19,184 vs. $20,375)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University College Station are 42.4% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,550 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas A&M University College Station than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (59% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas A&M University College Station students is 22% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,278 vs. $10,065)

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 (62.6%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

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/