Cal Poly Humboldt vs University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) and University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) are two distinct universities with unique offerings. Cal Poly Humboldt, nestled in the picturesque redwood forests of Arcata, California, boasts a strong focus on environmental studies and natural resources, while UNR, located in the vibrant city of Reno, Nevada, excels in engineering, business, and health sciences. With acceptance rates of 84% and 88% respectively, both universities welcome a diverse student body, creating a rich and inclusive campus environment. While Cal Poly Humboldt's student population is predominantly undergraduate, UNR offers a more balanced mix of undergraduate and graduate students. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Overview

Location Arcata, California Reno, Nevada
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 74.0% 78.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.5% 88.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 1060 - 1270
ACT range N/A 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0%
Total number of applicants 7,013 9,421
Total number of admissions given out 6,414 8,306
Admitted students who chose to enroll 629 3,412
Yield rate 9.8% 41.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $25,668

Out of state: $37,548
In state: $26,796

Out of state: $42,888
Average net price $13,904 $16,398
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $7,470

Out of state: $23,562
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,638

Meal plan: $5,600
Room/dormitory: $5,850

Meal plan: $5,792
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

75.0%
Average amount $9,716
86.0%
Average amount $7,232
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $4,831
29.0%
Average amount $5,001
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,255
4.0%
Average amount $12,013

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,354
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 554
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 7.0% 26.1%
International students 1.3% 2.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,069 3,524
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Oregon Washington Colorado Hawaii Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.5% 62.7%
Dropout rate 42.0% 34.1%
Transferred out 7.8% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,497
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $69,150
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,856
  • Year 2: $48,265
  • Year 3: $60,145
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $58,243
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,405
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,583
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,805
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,240
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,362
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,717
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,892
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $42,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,215
  • Year 2: $36,294
  • Year 3: $41,528
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,882
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $39,496
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,867
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $37,639
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,685
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $89,037
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,780
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $86,482
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $82,783
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,402
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $78,990
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,203
  • Year 2: $66,169
  • Year 3: $77,729
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $75,701
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,757
  • Year 2: $69,161
  • Year 3: $74,927
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,629
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $73,298
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,591
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $71,617

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