Cal Poly vs. UNCW

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

Cal Poly UNCW
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Wilmington, NC
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 22,000 17,843
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #377
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly UNCW
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $19,063
Room & Board $16,449 $12,120
Avg Net Price $19,184 $18,709
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $6,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 56%

Admission

Cal Poly UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 16,860
Admitted 17,885 11,605
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 68.8%
Enrolled % 28.6% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.56
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 24/29
SAT Range 1220/1410 1220/1370
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly UNCW
Graduation Rate 75% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $211

Diversity

Cal Poly UNCW
% Men 51% 34%
% Women 49% 66%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Cal Poly UNCW
% In-State 83% 80%
% Out-of-State 16% 19%

Campus

Cal Poly UNCW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 UNCW based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 17,843 students)

Cal Poly vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UNCW?

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is 29.2% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at UNCW than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($19,063.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than Cal Poly ($18,709 vs. $19,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 35.7% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,120 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (56% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 61.9% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($10,065 vs. $6,217)

Cal Poly vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 97 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (75% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $24,700 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $44,700)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $1,834 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($18,666 vs. $20,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($193 vs. $211)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW 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/