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USD San Diego State UCSB U of A UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue Michigan| Arizona State University | University of California San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
ASU | UCSD | ||
| Location | Tempe, AZ | La Jolla, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 79,593 | 42,376 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #384 | #88 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | asu.edu | ucsd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ASU | UCSD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,308 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,450 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,091 | $17,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,401 | $13,293 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,992 | $24,176 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 89% | 64% |
Admission |
ASU | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,840 | 130,771 | ||
| Admitted | 62,084 | 32,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 24.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.7% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.54 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 28/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1320 | 1270/1480 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
ASU | UCSD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ASU | UCSD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,600 | $67,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,278 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $209 | $191 |
Diversity |
ASU | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 52% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 12% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
ASU | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 61% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 32% | 10% | ||
Campus |
ASU | UCSD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Arizona State University is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (79,593 students vs. 42,376 students)
ASU vs. UCSD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ASU or UCSD?
- University of California San Diego is 4.7% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,308.00)
- Out of state tuition is 35.5% higher at UCSD than Arizona State University ($42,611.00 vs. $31,450.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than ASU ($13,293 vs. $16,401)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arizona State University are 6.9% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($16,091 vs. $17,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than University of California San Diego (89% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 101.6% larger than aid received Arizona State University ($24,176 vs. $11,992)
ASU vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ASU or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or ASU .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 186 points higher than at ASU (1158)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at ASU (26)
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at ASU (3.54)
- ASU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UCSD (24.5%)
ASU vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ASU or UCSD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCSD and ASU.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Arizona State University (85% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $15,300 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $52,600)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,778 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($18,500 vs. $20,278)
- UCSD graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($191 vs. $209)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/