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Penn State JMU NC State Caltech Purdue UCSB Clemson UofSC UVA San Diego State UCSC Mason| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 22,000 | 38,170 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #155 | #142 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calpoly.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $12,104 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $31,754 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,449 | $12,680 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $19,301 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $7,649 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 57% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 58,774 | 45,321 | ||
| Admitted | 17,885 | 25,825 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 27.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.97 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1240/1430 | ||
| 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 | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $65,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $23,966 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $247 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 57% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 43% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 64% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 32% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | Virginia Tech | ||
| 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
- Virginia Tech is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 22,000 students)
Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Virginia Tech?
- Virginia Tech is 110.8% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($12,104.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 80.2% higher at Virginia Tech than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($31,754.00 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 Virginia Tech ($19,184 vs. $19,301)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 29.7% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($12,680 vs. $16,449)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (57% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students is 31.6% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($10,065 vs. $7,649)
Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or Virginia Tech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Virginia Tech or Cal Poly .
- The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 49 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
- Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Virginia Tech (3.97)
- Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)
Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal Poly or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Cal Poly.
- The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (82% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $4,400 more per year than Virginia Tech graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $65,000)
- California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $5,300 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($18,666 vs. $23,966)
- Cal Poly graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($193 vs. $247)
- More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Virginia Tech students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/