Cal Poly vs. UB

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

Cal Poly UB
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Buffalo, NY
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 32,099
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu buffalo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly UB
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $24,990
Room & Board $16,449 $16,212
Avg Net Price $19,184 $18,524
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $8,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 74%

Admission

Cal Poly UB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 30,939
Admitted 17,885 20,948
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 67.7%
Enrolled % 28.6% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.75
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 25/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1190/1380
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

Academics

Cal Poly UB
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly UB
Graduation Rate 75% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $201

Diversity

Cal Poly UB
% Men 51% 52%
% Women 49% 48%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 48%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 16% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 2% 16%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

Cal Poly UB
% In-State 83% 88%
% Out-of-State 16% 3%

Campus

Cal Poly UB
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

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (32,099 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UB?

  • University at Buffalo is 23.1% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.8% higher at UB than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($24,990.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University at Buffalo than Cal Poly ($18,524 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University at Buffalo are 1.5% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($16,212 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (74% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 18.1% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,065 vs. $8,521)

Cal Poly vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 86 points higher than at UB (1173)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UB (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UB (3.75)
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University at Buffalo (75% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $11,000 more per year than UB graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $58,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $834 lower median federal student loan debt than UB graduates. ($18,666 vs. $19,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than UB graduates. ($193 vs. $201)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 70%)

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