Location
- University of California-Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz, CA
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- San Luis Obispo, CA
University of California-Santa Cruz vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Santa Cruz, CA · San Luis Obispo, CA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate
Scorecard match plate
Pair CA:CA
PUBLIC-PAIR · SAME-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-PAR · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT
- PUBLIC-PAIR Public pair
- SAME-STATE Same state · CA
- ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
- NET-PAR Net near-par
- EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
- GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
Nearly parallel enrollment growth
ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023
Undergraduate headcount rose at both University of California-Santa Cruz and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo across 2013–2023. The fitted annual pace is what separates this board from a generic large-campus frame.
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: enrollment grew +15.3% over 2013–2023; fitted +238 students/yr fitted, r² 0.70.
- University of California-Santa Cruz: enrollment grew +13.5% over 2013–2023; fitted +189 students/yr fitted, r² 0.71.
- University of California-Santa Cruz: acceptance-rate path 2013–2023 stays non-directional here (r² 0.01).
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: acceptance-rate path 2013–2023 stays non-directional here (r² 0.01).
College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.
Scorecard metrics
Undergraduate Enrollment
Acceptance Rate
Median Earnings (6 yr)
Out-of-State Tuition
Median Earnings (10 yr)
In-State Tuition
Loan Repayment Rate (Completers)
150%-Time Completion
Median Debt at Graduation
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 17,940 | 21,996 |
| Acceptance Rate | 65.8% | 31.3% |
| Median Earnings (6 yr) | $49,716 | $72,358 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $50,205 | $34,665 |
| Median Earnings (10 yr) | $68,396 | $90,768 |
| In-State Tuition | $16,005 | $13,596 |
| Loan Repayment Rate (Completers) | 79.3% | 91.5% |
| 150%-Time Completion | 74.8% | 85.7% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $16,666 | $18,500 |
Largest gaps: University of California-Santa Cruz vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on acceptance rate (31.3% vs 65.8% at University of California-Santa Cruz)
- MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($72,358 vs $49,716 at University of California-Santa Cruz)
- OUT-OF-STATE-TUITI California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on out-of-state tuition ($34,665 vs $50,205 at University of California-Santa Cruz)
University of California-Santa Cruz profile · California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo profile · Compare other colleges
Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions
On acceptance rate, who leads between University of California-Santa Cruz and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?▼
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on acceptance rate at 31.3% versus 65.8% at University of California-Santa Cruz. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between University of California-Santa Cruz and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?▼
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $72,358 versus $49,716 at University of California-Santa Cruz. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On out-of-state tuition, who leads between University of California-Santa Cruz and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?▼
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads on out-of-state tuition at $34,665 versus $50,205 at University of California-Santa Cruz. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025