Cal Poly lands in the top 25 for best-value colleges in the country
Cal Poly ranked No. 25 for best value out of 671 four-year colleges in the United States, according to a ranking published by Money.com on Monday.
Money took data from colleges that admit at least 20% of applicants and ranked them based on affordability, quality and student outcomes. The goal was to “produce a ranking we think will be useful to applicants who are increasingly looking for more choices,” according to the Money.com website.
“Your college doesn’t have to be exclusive to be a great investment,” the website reads.
The ranking comes after a survey from the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago showed Americans see cost as the “biggest barrier” to higher education.
The ranking sourced data from the U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s and their own calculations. It was sponsored by College Ave Student Loans. Money partnered with Witlytic, a company that helps conduct data analysis for publications.
According to Money’s methodology, the magazine ranked the 671 schools on 24 total factors split among their three categories. Points for quality of education made up 30% of a college’s overall score, affordability made up 40% and outcomes 30%. Money’s full methodology is available on its website.
The ranking gave Cal Poly an overall score of 80.31, with an explanation that highlighted Cal Poly’s efforts for diversity among the student body. Money reported the school’s population is “diverse by national standards” with 18% of students self-reporting as Hispanic and 14% as Asian.
While this still makes Cal Poly the whitest public university in California, the ranking also mentioned the university’s efforts to increase enrollment of students from underrepresented backgrounds ever since 2018 — the year a Cal Poly fraternity member was shown in blackface.
The study also includes Cal Poly’s ability to use canyons, ranches, beaches and farmland to teach hands-on lessons in agriculture, biology and forestry.
Cal Poly’s acceptance rate was recorded at 38% and its graduation rate at 83%. The early-career median salary for graduates reached around $80,600, “a premium over similar schools,” according to Money.
Money also found that 84% of Cal Poly students with financial need receive grants. Yet only 49% of students have their needs met, according to the analysis.
The top ranked school was University of Michigan with an overall score of 89.41. In-state students pay less than that of approximately 600 other colleges in the rankings, the university has a graduation rate of 93% and faculty members have been awarded for their commitment to undergrad teaching. Beyond that, Money found the school’s alumni salaries are “well above average” and they have a high job placement.
Interestingly, Cal Poly was not the top California State University campus on Money’s list. The CSU Maritime Academy came in at No. 15, followed by Long Beach State at No. 18 and Stanislaus State at No. 19.
Cal Poly was also highly ranked for “best value” among leading universities in California back in March of this year. The San Luis Obispo campus ranked No. 6 in SmartAsset’s annual ranking.
This story was originally published May 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM.