Cal Poly vs. UCLA

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

Cal Poly UCLA
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 46,430
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu ucla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly UCLA
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,449 $17,231
Avg Net Price $19,184 $16,999
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $21,766
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 46%

Admission

Cal Poly UCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 149,801
Admitted 17,885 12,845
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 8.6%
Enrolled % 28.6% 50.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.92
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 26/32 29/35
SAT Range 1220/1410 1300/1530
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly UCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly UCLA
Graduation Rate 75% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $70,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $16,300
Median Loan Payment $193 $168

Diversity

Cal Poly UCLA
% Men 51% 43%
% Women 49% 57%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 27%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 2% 13%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Cal Poly UCLA
% In-State 83% 77%
% Out-of-State 16% 15%

Campus

Cal Poly UCLA
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 of California Los Angeles is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. UCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCLA?

  • University of California Los Angeles is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCLA than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Los Angeles than Cal Poly ($16,999 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 4.8% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($16,449 vs. $17,231)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Los Angeles than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (46% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 116.3% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($21,766 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. UCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 80 points higher than at Cal Poly (1259)
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal Poly (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCLA (3.92)
  • Cal Poly has a higher acceptance rate (30.4%) than UCLA (8.6%)

Cal Poly vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (90% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn on average $1,300 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($70,700 vs. $69,400)
  • University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $2,366 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($16,300 vs. $18,666)
  • UCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($168 vs. $193)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCLA students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 78%)

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