UW Seattle vs Cal Poly SLO for undergrad

I’m very confused about what school to choose for mechanical engineering. I recently got into both UW Seattle and Cal Poly SLO, and I’m trying to figure out which one would be the better choice overall. I'm really grateful to have gotten into both these schools

From what I understand, UW is more research-focused with a strong overall reputation, while Cal Poly is more hands-on with the “learn by doing” approach. I’m not sure how much that actually matters in the long run though. Do employers really value hands-on project experience more, or does the school/reputation/research side carry more weight?

I’m also currently planning to work for a few years after undergrad before going for a master’s. Does that sound like a good plan for mechanical engineering, or is it better to go straight into a master’s?

I’m trying to understand which school would set me up better for internships, first jobs, and long-term career growth.. the cost for both schools is the same

Any advice would be really appreciated.