Cal Poly vs. Whittier College

Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or Whittier College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or Whittier College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Caltech UCSB San Diego State UCSC UCSD UC Davis UW-Seattle California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona UCI Colorado School of Mines UC Merced
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. Whittier College comparison
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Whittier College College 3 College 4
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Whittier College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Cal Poly Whittier College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Whittier, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,000 1,192
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #273
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calpoly.edu whittier.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal Poly Whittier College
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $48,924
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $48,924
Room & Board $16,449 $15,623
Avg Net Price $19,184 $28,368
Avg Grant Aid $10,065 $34,623
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 100%

Admission

Cal Poly Whittier College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,774 3,014
Admitted 17,885 2,274
Acceptance Rate 30.4% 75.4%
Enrolled % 28.6% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.61
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 24/30
SAT Range 1220/1410 1140/1340
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

Academics

Cal Poly Whittier College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Cal Poly Whittier College
Graduation Rate 75% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,400 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,666 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $263

Diversity

Cal Poly Whittier College
% Men 51% 44%
% Women 49% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 31%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 44%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Cal Poly Whittier College
% In-State 83% 64%
% Out-of-State 16% 27%

Campus

Cal Poly Whittier College
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 Whittier College based on total student enrollment (22,000 students vs. 1,192 students)

Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or Whittier College?

  • Whittier College is 752% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($48,924.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 177.6% higher at Whittier College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($48,924.00 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 Whittier College ($19,184 vs. $28,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whittier College are 5.3% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,623 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (100% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Whittier College students is 244% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($34,623 vs. $10,065)

Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 202 points higher than at Whittier College (1057)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Whittier College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Whittier College (3.61)
  • Whittier College has a higher acceptance rate (75.4%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Cal Poly vs. Whittier College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal Poly or Whittier College? 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 Whittier College and Cal Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than Whittier College (75% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $22,000 more per year than Whittier College graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $47,400)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $6,834 lower median federal student loan debt than Whittier College graduates. ($18,666 vs. $25,500)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Whittier College graduates. ($193 vs. $263)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Whittier College 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/