Cal Poly vs Harvard
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and Harvard University stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant campus life. While both institutions share a commitment to providing students with a transformative educational experience, they differ significantly in several key aspects. Cal Poly, a public polytechnic university, boasts an acceptance rate of 31%, making it more accessible to a broader range of students. Harvard, on the other hand, is a highly selective private research university with an acceptance rate of just 5%. In terms of popular majors, Cal Poly emphasizes hands-on learning in fields such as engineering, agriculture, and business, while Harvard offers a diverse range of liberal arts and sciences programs. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two esteemed institutions, considering factors such as student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which university best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
  |  |   California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |   Harvard University | 
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, California | Cambridge, Massachusetts | 
| 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% | 96.0% | 
|  Common app member | No | Yes | 
| Religious affiliation | ||
|  | ||
| Admission | ||
| Acceptance rate | 33.0% | 4.0% | 
| Application fees | 
            Undergraduate:
            $70
           
            Graduate:
            $70
           | 
            Undergraduate:
            $75
           
            Graduate:
            $105
           | 
| SAT range | N/A | 1480 - 1580 | 
| ACT range | N/A | 33 - 36 | 
| Students submitting SAT score | 54.0% | |
| Students submitting ACT score | 31.0% | |
| Total number of applicants | 54,570 | 57,786 | 
| Total number of admissions given out | 18,008 | 2,318 | 
| Admitted students who chose to enroll | 4,884 | 1,951 | 
| Yield rate | 27.1% | 84.2% | 
| Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A | 
| High school GPA | Required | Not required | 
| Recommendation letters | Not required | Required | 
| High school transcript | Not required | Not required | 
| English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Not required | 
|  | ||
| Tuition and Fees | ||
| Sticker price | 
            In state:
            $29,680
           
            Out of state:
            $47,590
           | $78,028 | 
| Average net price | $20,708 | $13,910 | 
| Tuition | 
            In state:
            $5,742
           
            Out of state:
            $17,622
           | $51,143 | 
| Room & board | 
            Room/dormitory:
            $9,642
           
            Meal plan:
            $6,138
           | 
            Room/dormitory:
            $11,705
           
            Meal plan:
            $7,236
           | 
| Available payment plans |  | 
 | 
|  | ||
| Financial Aid | ||
| Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships) | 55.0% Average amount $5,988 | 56.0% Average amount $59,840 | 
| Students receiving federal student loan | 24.0% Average amount $5,023 | 3.0% Average amount $5,180 | 
| Students taking out private loans | 1.0% Average amount $22,714 | 2.0% Average amount $8,080 | 
|  | ||
| Students and Campus | ||
| Undergraduate students | 21,128 Men 51.2% Women 48.8% | 9,579 Men 49.0% Women 51.0% | 
| Graduate students | 1,103 Men 50.4% Women 49.6% | 21,766 Men 46.3% Women 53.7% | 
| Racial/ethnic diversity | Moderate | Moderate | 
| Out-of-state students | 20.6% | N/A | 
| International students | 2.3% | 23.9% | 
| Campus local/setting | Suburb: Small | City: Midsize | 
| Dormitory capacity | 8,147 | 12,874 | 
| First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes | 
| Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Washington Colorado Oregon Texas | New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey | 
|  | ||
| Academics | ||
| Popular study areas | 
 | 
 | 
| Students to faculty ratio | 21:1 | 7:1 | 
| Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | New England Commission on Higher Education | 
|  | ||
| Outcome | ||
| Graduation rate | 85.4% | 96.7% | 
| Dropout rate | 12.5% | 2.0% | 
| Transferred out | 1.2% | N/A | 
| Alumni salary by major (Top 10) | 
              
                
                  Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Fire Protection (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 | 
              
                
                  Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Law (First Professional Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Public Health (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
                
              
               
 
              
                
                  Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
                
              
               
 | 
Compare Similar Colleges
    The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
    statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
    don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
    There, you can search for the
    specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
  
   Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         California State University-San Bernardino
        California State University-San Bernardino
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         California State University-Chico
        California State University-Chico
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         California State University-Northridge
        California State University-Northridge
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of California-Berkeley
        University of California-Berkeley
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of California-Davis
        University of California-Davis
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
        California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         The University of Tampa
        The University of Tampa
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Northwestern University
        Northwestern University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Johns Hopkins University
        Johns Hopkins University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         United States Naval Academy
        United States Naval Academy
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Harvard University
        Harvard University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Massachusetts Institute of Technology
        Massachusetts Institute of Technology
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Eastern Michigan University
        Eastern Michigan University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Grand Valley State University
        Grand Valley State University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of Minnesota-Duluth
        University of Minnesota-Duluth
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Dartmouth College
        Dartmouth College
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Cornell University
        Cornell University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         SUNY Polytechnic Institute
        SUNY Polytechnic Institute
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Appalachian State University
        Appalachian State University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Duke University
        Duke University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of North Carolina Wilmington
        University of North Carolina Wilmington
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Brown University
        Brown University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Vanderbilt University
        Vanderbilt University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Abilene Christian University
        Abilene Christian University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of Virginia-Main Campus
        University of Virginia-Main Campus
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Gonzaga University
        Gonzaga University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Western Washington University
        Western Washington University
      
    
  
 Cal Poly
        Cal Poly
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Stanford University
        Stanford University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         California Institute of Technology
        California Institute of Technology
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of California-Berkeley
        University of California-Berkeley
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of California-Davis
        University of California-Davis
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of Southern California
        University of Southern California
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Yale University
        Yale University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of Chicago
        University of Chicago
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Northwestern University
        Northwestern University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of Notre Dame
        University of Notre Dame
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Johns Hopkins University
        Johns Hopkins University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         United States Naval Academy
        United States Naval Academy
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Brandeis University
        Brandeis University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Wellesley College
        Wellesley College
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Barnard College
        Barnard College
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         Jewish Theological Seminary of America
        Jewish Theological Seminary of America
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         New York University
        New York University
      
    
  
 Harvard
        Harvard
         vs
      
      vs
      
         University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
        University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
      
    
  
