Western Michigan University (WMU) vs Cal Poly Pomona

Western Michigan University (WMU) and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) are two distinct universities with unique offerings. WMU, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (79%) compared to Cal Poly Pomona's 48%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with WMU excelling in fields like business, engineering, and health sciences, while Cal Poly Pomona shines in agriculture, engineering, and hospitality management. WMU's student body is predominantly White (68%), while Cal Poly Pomona's is more diverse, with a significant Hispanic population (43%). In terms of graduation rates, Cal Poly Pomona has a slight edge over WMU, with a 6-year graduation rate of 67% compared to WMU's 63%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions. Explore the table to discover which university
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona logo

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Western Michigan University logo

Western Michigan University

Overview

Location Pomona, California Kalamazoo, Michigan
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
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 88.0% 77.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 60.6% 82.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 1000 - 1220
ACT range N/A 21 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 37.0%
Students submitting ACT score 7.0%
Total number of applicants 41,226 18,853
Total number of admissions given out 24,993 15,612
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,463 2,112
Yield rate 13.9% 13.5%
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: $25,835

Out of state: $37,715
In state: $27,947

Out of state: $31,281
Average net price $12,942 $19,749
Tuition
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
In state: $13,334

Out of state: $16,668
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,980

Meal plan: $5,590
$10,884
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

76.0%
Average amount $9,025
95.0%
Average amount $6,352
Students receiving federal student loan 17.0%
Average amount $4,805
49.0%
Average amount $5,188
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,608
10.0%
Average amount $15,132

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 26,974
Men 53.5% Women 46.5%
14,587
Men 50.1% Women 49.9%
Graduate students 2,482
Men 47.3% Women 52.7%
3,679
Men 37.4% Women 62.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 0.8% 23.8%
International students 4.6% 7.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 4,128 5,130
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Oregon Guam Hawaii Michigan Illinois Indiana Wisconsin Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 28:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 70.2% 56.3%
Dropout rate 23.1% 14.6%
Transferred out 1.7% 25.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $85,357
  • Year 3: $96,966
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,286
  • Year 2: $77,329
  • Year 3: $89,517
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,891
  • Year 2: $72,650
  • Year 3: $86,380
Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $82,880
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,110
  • Year 2: $69,930
  • Year 3: $81,209
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,168
  • Year 2: $67,918
  • Year 3: $79,792
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,611
  • Year 2: $63,501
  • Year 3: $76,900
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,217
  • Year 2: $64,394
  • Year 3: $76,474
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,215
  • Year 2: $68,305
  • Year 3: $76,397
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,663
  • Year 2: $64,087
  • Year 3: $76,106
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,212
  • Year 2: $103,274
  • Year 3: $105,179
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,392
  • Year 2: $73,801
  • Year 3: $88,332
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $87,977
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,143
  • Year 2: $65,945
  • Year 3: $79,982
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,346
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $77,922
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,069
  • Year 2: $73,562
  • Year 3: $77,263
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,557
  • Year 2: $70,776
  • Year 3: $75,447
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,559
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $73,968
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,118
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $72,465
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,803
  • Year 2: $59,576
  • Year 3: $69,288

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