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Caltech UCSB San Diego State UCSC UNLV UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI Colorado School of Mines| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of Nevada Reno | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Reno, NV | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,485 | 21,778 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #146 | #400 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | unr.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $7,876 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $24,832 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,220 | $13,700 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,888 | $16,801 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,707 | $6,658 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 92% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 63,736 | 10,142 | ||
| Admitted | 18,964 | 8,652 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 85.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.8% | 39.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1060/1270 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Apr 7, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 51% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $18,801 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $194 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
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| % Men | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 60% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 6% | ||
| % International | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
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| % In-State | 86% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 24% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| 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
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than University of Nevada-Reno based on total student enrollment (22,485 students vs. 21,778 students)
Cal Poly vs. University of Nevada-Reno Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or University of Nevada-Reno?
- University of Nevada Reno is 37.2% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($7,876.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 40.9% higher at University of Nevada-Reno than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($24,832.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Reno than Cal Poly ($16,801 vs. $16,888)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Reno are 25.7% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($13,700 vs. $17,220)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Reno than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (92% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 90.9% larger than aid received University of Nevada Reno ($12,707 vs. $6,658)
Cal Poly vs. University of Nevada-Reno Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or University of Nevada-Reno? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Nevada-Reno or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 175 points higher than at University of Nevada-Reno (1084)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at University of Nevada-Reno (24)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at University of Nevada-Reno (3.4)
- University of Nevada-Reno has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Cal Poly (29.8%)
Cal Poly vs. University of Nevada-Reno Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or University of Nevada-Reno? 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 University of Nevada-Reno and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of Nevada Reno (75% vs. 51%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $16,000 more per year than University of Nevada-Reno graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $53,400)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $135 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Nevada-Reno graduates. ($18,666 vs. $18,801)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than University of Nevada-Reno graduates. ($193 vs. $194)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Nevada-Reno students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/