Cal Poly vs. USF

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

Cal Poly USF
Location San Luis Obispo, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 22,000 9,688
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #137
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly USF
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $54,980
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $54,980
Room & Board $16,449 $16,550
Avg Net Price $19,184 $42,953
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $30,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 96%

Admission

Cal Poly USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 23,103
Admitted 17,885 16,444
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 71.2%
Enrolled % 28.6% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.57
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 27/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1210/1410
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Cal Poly USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly USF
Graduation Rate 75% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $258

Diversity

Cal Poly USF
% Men 51% 35%
% Women 49% 65%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 27%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 2% 19%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Cal Poly USF
% In-State 83% 55%
% Out-of-State 16% 34%

Campus

Cal Poly USF
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 9,688 students)

Cal Poly vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or USF?

  • University of San Francisco is 857.5% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($54,980.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 212% higher at USF than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($54,980.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo than USF ($19,184 vs. $42,953)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo are 0.6% lower than costs at University of San Francisco ($16,449 vs. $16,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (96% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 207.2% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($30,916 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 87 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of San Francisco (75% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $1,000 more per year than Cal Poly graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $69,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,334 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,000)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($193 vs. $258)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 73%)

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