MS MechE: UC Davis vs Cal Poly SLO

<p>Hello.</p>

<p>Here's my situation. I've been accepted to an out of state school that told me they may give me a funded research assistantship, but as time keeps going on, that's looking less and less likely.</p>

<p>If I do not get any assistantship offers at all, and I have to fund my Masters degree entirely off of loans, I've whittled my list down to two Mechanical Engineering colleges, UC Davis and Cal Poly SLO.</p>

<p>SLO looks much more attractive on paper, because its in-state tuition is about $8000 + fees vs UC's $13000 + fees. It's also a more practical school than UC Davis. Plus, the idea of going to school on the Central Coast doesn't sound too bad. My main concern with Poly is how fast Masters students get degrees. I know that undergrads usually take five or six years to complete at Cal Poly, but I have no idea regarding Masters degrees. If it typically takes longer than two years for a Masters at Poly, then Davis might be a cheaper option.</p>

<p>Does anyone know how long it usually takes to complete a Masters degree at Cal Poly? Any reason why I should go with Davis over Poly?</p>

<p>What's your vote?</p>

<p>Umm… Anyone?</p>