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UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly Sacramento State San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State San Francisco State UCI Humboldt State University UCSD| California State University Chico | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | UCSC | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,523 | 19,764 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #660 | #251 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,020 | $18,785 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,187 | $16,526 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,331 | $21,564 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 65% |
Admission |
CSU | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,263 | 68,845 | ||
| Admitted | 20,864 | 43,054 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 93.7% | 62.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.4% | 10.2% | ||
| 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
CSU | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 22:1 | ||
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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 | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 5% | ||
| 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% | 91% | ||
| % 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 (19,764 students vs. 14,523 students)
CSU vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or UCSC?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 106.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCSC than California State University Chico ($42,611.00 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 ($15,187 vs. $16,526)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 17.3% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($16,020 vs. $18,785)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico as University of California Santa Cruz (65% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 108.7% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($21,564 vs. $10,331)
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 (93.7%) than UCSC (62.5%)
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/