California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UCSD

Should I go to California State Polytechnic University Pomona or University of California San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or UCSD 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle Cal State Long Beach UC Berkeley San Jose State UC Riverside Purdue
California State Polytechnic University Pomona vs. University of California San Diego comparison
California State Polytechnic University Pomona University of California San Diego College 3 College 4
California State Polytechnic University Pomona University of California San Diego
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Location Pomona, CA La Jolla, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 26,848 42,376
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #590 #88
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csupomona.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $42,611
Room & Board $16,330 $17,198
Avg Net Price $11,898 $13,293
Avg Grant Aid $10,441 $24,176
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 64%

Admission

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,775 130,771
Admitted 33,737 32,062
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 24.5%
Enrolled % 12.8% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 19/27 28/34
SAT Range 1010/1250 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 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Graduation Rate 50% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,400 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $191

Diversity

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
% Men 4% 11%
% Women 5% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 21%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 40% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 5% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
% In-State 98% 79%
% Out-of-State 1% 10%

Campus

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UCSD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 26,848 students)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or UCSD?

  • University of California San Diego is 106.1% more expensive to attend than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCSD than California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than UCSD ($11,898 vs. $13,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Pomona are 5.3% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($16,330 vs. $17,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than University of California San Diego (72% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 131.5% larger than aid received California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($24,176 vs. $10,441)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona .

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 278 points higher than at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (1066)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (24)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (3.69)
  • California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has a higher acceptance rate (73.7%) than UCSD (24.5%)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 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 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than California State Polytechnic University Pomona (85% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $12,500 more per year than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $55,400)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,000)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates. ($191 vs. $196)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State Polytechnic University-Pomona students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 72%)

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