Cal Poly vs. UCSC

Deciding between California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and University of California Santa Cruz? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
University of California Santa Cruz

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA
  • UCSC Santa Cruz, CA
  • Setting
  • Cal Poly Small Suburban
  • UCSC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cal Poly 23,069
  • UCSC 19,938
  • Type
  • Cal Poly Public 4 Year
  • UCSC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cal Poly #151
  • UCSC #255
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cal Poly -
  • UCSC -
  • Status
  • Cal Poly Non-profit
  • UCSC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cal Poly
  • UCSC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cal Poly $13,596
  • UCSC $16,005
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cal Poly $34,665
  • UCSC $50,205
  • Room & Board
  • Cal Poly $18,792
  • UCSC $19,948
  • Average Net Price
  • Cal Poly $17,453
  • UCSC $18,059
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cal Poly $14,338
  • UCSC $22,774
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cal Poly 48%
  • UCSC 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cal Poly 68,371
  • UCSC 71,722
  • Admitted
  • Cal Poly 21,416
  • UCSC 47,186
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cal Poly 31.3%
  • UCSC 65.8%
  • Enrolled
  • Cal Poly 24.6%
  • UCSC 9.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cal Poly 1320
  • UCSC 1260
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cal Poly 29
  • UCSC 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cal Poly 4.0
  • UCSC 3.63
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cal Poly A/A+
  • UCSC A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cal Poly Very High
  • UCSC Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cal Poly High
  • UCSC Low
  • ACT Range
  • Cal Poly 26/32
  • UCSC 25/33
  • SAT Range
  • Cal Poly 1220/1410
  • UCSC 1160/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cal Poly Test-free
  • UCSC Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Cal Poly Nov 30, 2026
  • UCSC Nov 30, 2026

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cal Poly 19:1
  • UCSC 22:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cal Poly
    • Engineering (24%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Agriculture (15%)
    • Architecture (8%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • UCSC
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Business (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cal Poly 75%
  • UCSC 73%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cal Poly $69,400
  • UCSC $50,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cal Poly 85%
  • UCSC 74%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cal Poly $18,666
  • UCSC $19,959
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cal Poly $193
  • UCSC $206

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cal Poly 49%
  • UCSC 48%
  • % Women
  • Cal Poly 51%
  • UCSC 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cal Poly High
  • UCSC Very High
  • HBCU
  • Cal Poly No
  • UCSC No
  • % White
  • Cal Poly 57%
  • UCSC 33%
  • % Asian
  • Cal Poly 12%
  • UCSC 21%
  • % Black
  • Cal Poly 1%
  • UCSC 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cal Poly 16%
  • UCSC 31%
  • % Native American
  • Cal Poly 0%
  • UCSC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cal Poly 0%
  • UCSC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cal Poly 7%
  • UCSC 7%
  • % International
  • Cal Poly 2%
  • UCSC 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cal Poly 5%
  • UCSC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cal Poly 83%
  • UCSC 92%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cal Poly 17%
  • UCSC 5%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • UCSC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cal Poly No
  • UCSC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • UCSC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cal Poly No
  • UCSC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cal Poly Yes
  • UCSC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo, CA with University of California Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than UCSC based on total student enrollment (23,069 students vs. 19,938 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, CA (Small Suburban setting); University of California Santa Cruz is in Santa Cruz, CA (Small City setting).
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Santa Cruz is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 19:1; University of California Santa Cruz 22:1.

Cal Poly vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCSC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than UCSC ($17,453 vs. $18,059).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 5.8% lower than at University of California Santa Cruz ($18,792 vs. $19,948).
  • University of California Santa Cruz is 17.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal Poly (about $2,409 more per year; $16,005.00 vs. $13,596.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 44.8% higher at UCSC than at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (about $15,540 more per year; $50,205.00 vs. $34,665.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 48%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 58.8% larger than aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students ($22,774 vs. $14,338).

Cal Poly vs. UCSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UCSC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UCSC and Cal Poly.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1320) is 60 points higher than at UCSC (1260).
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 29) as students at UCSC (29).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 1220/1410; University of California Santa Cruz 1160/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo 26/32; University of California Santa Cruz 25/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal Poly - Test-free; UCSC - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cal Poly Nov 30, 2026; UCSC Nov 30, 2026.
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UCSC (3.63).
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (65.8%) than Cal Poly (31.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 24.6% at Cal Poly vs. 9.3% at UCSC.

Cal Poly vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal Poly and UCSC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than University of California Santa Cruz's (73%).
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of about $19,000 more per year than UCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($69,400 vs. $50,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates have a $1,293 lower median loan debt than UCSC graduates ($18,666 vs. $19,959).
  • Among borrowers, Cal Poly graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UCSC graduates ($193 vs. $206).
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.