Cal Poly vs United States Naval Academy (USNA)

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) are two distinct institutions offering unique educational experiences. Cal Poly, a public polytechnic university, boasts an acceptance rate of 31%, while USNA, a federal service academy, has a highly selective acceptance rate of 9%. Cal Poly's student body is predominantly composed of California residents, with a diverse mix of majors, including engineering, business, and agriculture. In contrast, USNA's student body is primarily made up of midshipmen preparing for careers as commissioned officers in the United States Navy or Marine Corps, with a focus on majors such as engineering, mathematics, and operations research. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Cal Poly's at 82% and USNA's at 98%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions and determine which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and career goals.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo logo

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

United States Naval Academy logo

United States Naval Academy

Overview

Location San Luis Obispo, California Annapolis, Maryland
Campus setting Suburb: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 98.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 33.0% 8.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A 1200 - 1420
ACT range N/A 26 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 69.0%
Students submitting ACT score 48.0%
Total number of applicants 54,570 16,265
Total number of admissions given out 18,008 1,374
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,884 1,183
Yield rate 27.1% 86.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,680

Out of state: $47,590
Average net price $20,708
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,642

Meal plan: $6,138
Available payment plans

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

55.0%
Average amount $5,988
Students receiving federal student loan 24.0%
Average amount $5,023
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $22,714

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 21,128
Men 51.2% Women 48.8%
4,528
Men 71.3% Women 28.7%
Graduate students 1,103
Men 50.4% Women 49.6%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 20.6% 92.6%
International students 2.3% 1.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 8,147 4,667
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 California Texas Maryland Virginia Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Architecture
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Military Technologies
  • Physical Science
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission N/A

Outcome

Graduation rate 85.4% 91.3%
Dropout rate 12.5% 8.7%
Transferred out 1.2% N/A
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
N/A

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