Cal Poly vs Gonzaga

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and Gonzaga University stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique educational experiences. Cal Poly, a public polytechnic university, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, predominantly comprising California residents. Its focus on hands-on learning and strong programs in engineering, agriculture, and architecture attracts students seeking a practical and career-oriented education. In contrast, Gonzaga, a private Jesuit university, offers a more selective admissions process and a smaller, diverse student body. Known for its strengths in liberal arts, business, and nursing, Gonzaga emphasizes a well-rounded education grounded in the Jesuit tradition. While both universities offer excellent academic programs and vibrant campus communities, their contrasting characteristics cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university better aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	Gonzaga University
Overview
Location	San Luis Obispo, California	Spokane, Washington
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	95.0%	92.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation		Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	33.0%	76.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $70	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	N/A	1210 - 1380
ACT range	N/A	27 - 31
Students submitting SAT score		21.0%
Students submitting ACT score		18.0%
Total number of applicants	54,570	8,853
Total number of admissions given out	18,008	6,742
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,884	1,311
Yield rate	27.1%	19.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $29,680 Out of state: $47,590	$64,356
Average net price	$20,708	$35,529
Tuition	In state: $5,742 Out of state: $17,622	$47,560
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,642 Meal plan: $6,138	Room/dormitory: $6,922 Meal plan: $6,520
Available payment plans		Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	55.0% Average amount $5,988	100.0% Average amount $26,861
Students receiving federal student loan	24.0% Average amount $5,023	41.0% Average amount $5,092
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $22,714	12.0% Average amount $8,834

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	21,128 Men 51.2% Women 48.8%	4,986 Men 45.8% Women 54.2%
Graduate students	1,103 Men 50.4% Women 49.6%	2,395 Men 34.0% Women 66.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	20.6%	58.4%
International students	2.3%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	8,147	3,010
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Washington Colorado Oregon Texas	Washington California Oregon Colorado Arizona

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Business Agriculture Architecture Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Business Health Professions Engineering Legal Profession Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio	21:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	85.4%	85.1%
Dropout rate	12.5%	5.2%
Transferred out	1.2%	9.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $88,197 Year 2: $120,462 Year 3: $143,849 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $104,015 Year 2: $101,964 Year 3: $116,606 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $91,493 Year 2: $93,964 Year 3: $106,798 Fire Protection (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $97,071 Year 3: $103,907 Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $79,656 Year 2: $82,780 Year 3: $96,152 Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,643 Year 2: $73,562 Year 3: $90,242 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $74,873 Year 2: $78,971 Year 3: $90,194 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,220 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $89,378 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $66,920 Year 2: $70,886 Year 3: $87,984 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $79,454 Year 2: $79,647 Year 3: $87,345	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $109,524 Year 2: $105,418 Year 3: $114,618 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $77,697 Year 2: $82,685 Year 3: $88,736 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,511 Year 2: $67,447 Year 3: $78,861 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,158 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $78,302 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,609 Year 2: $71,930 Year 3: $76,778 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,550 Year 2: $67,324 Year 3: $74,451 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $62,156 Year 2: $64,741 Year 3: $73,535 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,977 Year 2: $61,859 Year 3: $71,337 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,455 Year 2: $60,298 Year 3: $71,186 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $52,437 Year 2: $56,415 Year 3: $69,299

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