CSU vs. UCSC

Should I go to California State University Chico or University of California Santa Cruz? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU 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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California State University Chico vs. University of California Santa Cruz comparison
California State University Chico University of California Santa Cruz College 3 College 4
California State University Chico University of California Santa Cruz
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Overview

CSU UCSC
Location Chico, CA Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 14,183 19,478
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU UCSC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $15,212 $18,185
Avg Net Price $15,517 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 68%

Admission

CSU UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 65,912
Admitted 20,347 30,926
Acceptance Rate 95% 46.9%
Enrolled % 9.9% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 25/33
SAT Range 970/1170 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

CSU UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

CSU UCSC
Graduation Rate 59% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $175 $206

Diversity

CSU UCSC
% Men 45% 50%
% Women 55% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 33%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 31%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

CSU UCSC
% In-State 97% 90%
% Out-of-State 2% 7%

Campus

CSU UCSC
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 Santa Cruz is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or UCSC?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSC than California State University Chico ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than UCSC ($15,517 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 19.5% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($15,212 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than California State University Chico (68% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 131.4% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($21,202 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 198 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than UCSC (46.9%)

CSU vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than California State University Chico (73% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $2,000 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $50,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $2,959 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,959)
  • CSU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($175 vs. $206)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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