Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Caltech CU Boulder UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle BYU California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of Utah | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Salt Lake City, UT | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 34,734 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #237 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | utah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $8,175 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $28,697 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $11,437 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $12,399 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $9,696 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 99% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 21,072 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 18,781 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 89.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 29.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.64 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1190/1390 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 18:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $61,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $155 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 57% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Utah | ||
| 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 Utah is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (34,734 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. Utah Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Utah?
- University of Utah is 42.4% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($8,175.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 62.8% higher at Utah than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($28,697.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Utah than Cal Poly ($12,399 vs. $19,184)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Utah are 43.8% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($11,437 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Utah than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (99% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 3.8% larger than aid received University of Utah ($10,065 vs. $9,696)
Cal Poly vs. Utah Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Utah? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Utah or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 129 points higher than at Utah (1130)
- Incoming Cal Poly students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Utah (25)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Utah (3.64)
- Utah has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Utah Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Utah? 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 Utah and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than University of Utah (75% vs. 55%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $8,100 more per year than Utah graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $61,300)
- University of Utah students graduate with a $3,666 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal Poly graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,666)
- Utah graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Cal Poly graduates. ($155 vs. $193)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Utah students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 72%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/