Auburn vs. UCSC

Should I go to Auburn University or University of California Santa Cruz? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Auburn or UCSC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Auburn University vs. University of California Santa Cruz comparison
Auburn University University of California Santa Cruz College 3 College 4
Auburn University University of California Santa Cruz
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Overview

Auburn UCSC
Location Auburn University, AL Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 31,764 19,478
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website auburn.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Auburn UCSC
Tuition (In State) $10,392 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $31,176 $41,636
Room & Board $14,998 $18,185
Avg Net Price $25,271 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $9,791 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 68%

Admission

Auburn UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,693 65,912
Admitted 19,988 30,926
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 46.9%
Enrolled % 26.5% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 25/33
SAT Range 1220/1380 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Auburn UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

Auburn UCSC
Graduation Rate 66% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $222 $206

Diversity

Auburn UCSC
% Men 49% 50%
% Women 51% 50%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 33%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 31%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 7%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Auburn UCSC
% In-State 57% 90%
% Out-of-State 41% 7%

Campus

Auburn UCSC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Auburn University is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (31,764 students vs. 19,478 students)

Auburn vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or UCSC?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Auburn for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $10,392.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.6% higher at UCSC than Auburn University ($41,636.00 vs. $31,176.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Auburn ($17,975 vs. $25,271)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Auburn University are 21.2% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($14,998 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Auburn University than University of California Santa Cruz (74% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 116.5% larger than aid received Auburn University ($21,202 vs. $9,791)

Auburn vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Auburn or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or Auburn .

  • The average SAT score at Auburn University (1218) is 17 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Auburn (27)
  • Accepted freshman Auburn students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than Auburn (43.7%)

Auburn vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Auburn or UCSC? 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 UCSC and Auburn.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than Auburn University (73% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Auburn University earn on average $3,700 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $1,541 lower median federal student loan debt than Auburn graduates. ($19,959 vs. $21,500)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Auburn graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Auburn students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/