Cal Poly vs. UofSC

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

Cal Poly UofSC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Columbia, SC
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 22,000 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly UofSC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,528
Room & Board $16,449 $11,780
Avg Net Price $19,184 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 98%

Admission

Cal Poly UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 42,188
Admitted 17,885 27,022
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 64.1%
Enrolled % 28.6% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.69
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1180/1380
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 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

Cal Poly UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly UofSC
Graduation Rate 75% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $193 $240

Diversity

Cal Poly UofSC
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 1% 10%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly UofSC
% In-State 83% 52%
% Out-of-State 16% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 22,000 students)

Cal Poly vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 114% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.3% higher at UofSC than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($33,528.00 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 UofSC ($19,184 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 39.6% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,780 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (98% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 46.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,065 vs. $6,880)

Cal Poly vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 39 points higher than at UofSC (1220)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UofSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (75% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $17,700 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $51,700)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $4,584 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($18,666 vs. $23,250)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($193 vs. $240)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

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