Alabama vs. Cal Poly

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

Alabama Cal Poly
Location Tuscaloosa, AL San Luis Obispo, CA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 38,644 22,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu calpoly.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama Cal Poly
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $17,622
Room & Board $14,426 $16,449
Avg Net Price $20,592 $19,184
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $10,065
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 42%

Admission

Alabama Cal Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 58,774
Admitted 43,290 17,885
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 30.4%
Enrolled % 18.6% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/31 26/32
SAT Range 1130/1410 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Alabama Cal Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Alabama Cal Poly
Graduation Rate 66% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $69,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $18,666
Median Loan Payment $245 $193

Diversity

Alabama Cal Poly
% Men 43% 51%
% Women 57% 49%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 57%
% Black 11% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Alabama Cal Poly
% In-State 35% 83%
% Out-of-State 64% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than Cal Poly based on total student enrollment (38,644 students vs. 22,000 students)

Alabama vs. Cal Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Cal Poly?

  • The University of Alabama is 93.3% more expensive to attend than Cal Poly for in-state tuition ($11,100.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78.5% higher at Alabama than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($31,460.00 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 Alabama ($19,184 vs. $20,592)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Alabama are 14% lower than costs at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($14,426 vs. $16,449)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (82% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 55.8% larger than aid received California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ($15,683 vs. $10,065)

Alabama vs. Cal Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (1259) is 78 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming Cal Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Alabama (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cal Poly students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Alabama (3.76)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Cal Poly (30.4%)

Alabama vs. Cal Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cal Poly is higher than The University of Alabama (75% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn on average $19,500 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($69,400 vs. $49,900)
  • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo students graduate with a $5,084 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($18,666 vs. $23,750)
  • Cal Poly graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($193 vs. $245)
  • More Cal Poly graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 59%)

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