Cal Poly vs. USAFA

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or United States Air Force Academy? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or USAFA 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. United States Air Force Academy comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo United States Air Force Academy College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo United States Air Force Academy
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Overview

Cal Poly USAFA
Location San Luis Obispo, CA USAFA, Colorado
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 4,085
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu usafa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly USAFA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $0
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $0
Room & Board $16,449 $0
Avg Net Price $19,184 -
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 0%

Admission

Cal Poly USAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 8,353
Admitted 17,885 1,356
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 16.2%
Enrolled % 28.6% 77.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.81
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 26/32 28/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1310/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Dec 31, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly USAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Engineering (35%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly USAFA
Graduation Rate 75% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 85% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 N/A
Median Loan Payment $193 N/A

Diversity

Cal Poly USAFA
% Men 51% 71%
% Women 49% 29%
Racial Diversity High -
HBCU No No
% White 57% 0%
% Black 1% 0%
% Hispanic 16% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Cal Poly USAFA
% In-State 83% 5%
% Out-of-State 16% 93%

Campus

Cal Poly USAFA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 USAFA based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 4,085 students)

Cal Poly vs. USAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or USAFA?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is ?% more expensive to attend than USAFA for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $0.00)
  • Out of state tuition is ?% higher at Cal Poly than United States Air Force Academy ($17,622.00 vs. $0.00)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than United States Air Force Academy (42% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is ?% larger than aid received United States Air Force Academy ($10,065 vs. $0)

Cal Poly vs. USAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USAFA (3.81)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than USAFA (16.2%)

Cal Poly vs. USAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or USAFA? 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 USAFA and Cal Poly.

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