California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs San Diego State University
Admission Difficulty: Cal Poly SLO is more selective with a 30.43% acceptance rate compared to SDSU's 39.26%, making it roughly 9 percentage points harder to enter.
Cost and Value: SDSU offers lower tuition costs ($8,290 in-state vs $11,075), but Cal Poly provides superior long-term value. Cal Poly graduates earn a median of $90,768 after 10 years compared to $64,909 at SDSU,a difference of nearly $26,000 annually. Both schools maintain similar net prices around $15,600-$16,200.
Academic Strengths: Cal Poly excels in STEM fields, particularly engineering and architecture, with its "learn by doing" philosophy. SDSU offers broader program diversity across business, communications, and liberal arts. Cal Poly's smaller student-faculty ratio (18:1 vs 22:1) provides more personalized attention.
Campus Experience: Cal Poly serves 21,521 students in the smaller college town of San Luis Obispo, creating a tight-knit community atmosphere. SDSU's 33,654 students enjoy big-city amenities in San Diego with extensive internship and cultural opportunities. Both compete in NCAA Division I athletics.
Outcomes: Cal Poly demonstrates superior retention (95.21% vs 90.32%) and graduation rates (85.20% vs 78.30%). Cal Poly students graduate with slightly higher debt ($18,500 vs $15,000) but achieve significantly better earning potential.
Cal Poly suits career-focused students seeking hands-on STEM education in a close-knit environment, while SDSU better serves students wanting diverse academic options and urban experiences.
Admission Difficulty: Cal Poly SLO is more selective with a 30.43% acceptance rate compared to SDSU's 39.26%, making it roughly 9 percentage points harder to enter.
Cost and Value: SDSU offers lower tuition costs ($8,290 in-state vs $11,075), but Cal Poly provides superior long-term value. Cal Poly graduates earn a median of $90,768 after 10 years compared to $64,909 at SDSU,a difference of nearly $26,000 annually. Both schools maintain similar net prices around $15,600-$16,200.
Academic Strengths: Cal Poly excels in STEM fields, particularly engineering and architecture, with its "learn by doing" philosophy. SDSU offers broader program diversity across business, communications, and liberal arts. Cal Poly's smaller student-faculty ratio (18:1 vs 22:1) provides more personalized attention.
Campus Experience: Cal Poly serves 21,521 students in the smaller college town of San Luis Obispo, creating a tight-knit community atmosphere. SDSU's 33,654 students enjoy big-city amenities in San Diego with extensive internship and cultural opportunities. Both compete in NCAA Division I athletics.
Outcomes: Cal Poly demonstrates superior retention (95.21% vs 90.32%) and graduation rates (85.20% vs 78.30%). Cal Poly students graduate with slightly higher debt ($18,500 vs $15,000) but achieve significantly better earning potential.
Cal Poly suits career-focused students seeking hands-on STEM education in a close-knit environment, while SDSU better serves students wanting diverse academic options and urban experiences.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Diego State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 39.3% |
| Enrollment | 21,521 | 33,654 |
| In-State Tuition | $11,075 | $8,290 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $30,995 | $20,170 |
| Net Price | $15,624 | $16,174 |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 85.2% | 78.3% |
| Retention Rate | 95.2% | 90.3% |
| Median Earnings (10yr) | $90,768 | $64,909 |
| Median Debt | $18,500 | $15,000 |
Top Programs by Earnings
Top 5 bachelor's programs at each school, ranked by median graduate earnings.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Diego State University | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Earnings | Program | Earnings |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $120,462 | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $87,377 |
| Computer Engineering. | $93,964 | Construction Engineering Technologies. | $72,231 |
| Construction Engineering Technologies. | $82,780 | Computer Engineering. | $70,456 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | $79,647 | Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | $69,757 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. | $76,460 | Computer Science. | $66,318 |