Cal State Long Beach vs. UCSD

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or University of California San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach 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.

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California State University Long Beach vs. University of California San Diego comparison
California State University Long Beach University of California San Diego College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach University of California San Diego
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Overview

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
Location Long Beach, CA La Jolla, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 38,973 42,006
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $14,932 $16,710
Avg Net Price $9,346 $16,111
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $20,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 55%

Admission

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 131,197
Admitted 29,851 31,103
Acceptance Rate 40% 23.7%
Enrolled % 18% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 20/26 28/34
SAT Range 1020/1240 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, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
Graduation Rate 54% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $155 $191

Diversity

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
% Men 41% 50%
% Women 59% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 21%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 39% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 6% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Cal State Long Beach UCSD
% In-State 97% 81%
% Out-of-State 2% 8%

Campus

Cal State Long Beach 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 Cal State Long Beach based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 38,973 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or UCSD?

  • University of California San Diego is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSD than California State University Long Beach ($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 Long Beach than UCSD ($9,346 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 11.9% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,932 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than University of California San Diego (75% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 119.3% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($20,782 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or Cal State Long Beach .

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 288 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
  • Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (40%) than UCSD (23.7%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Long Beach 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 Cal State Long Beach.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than California State University Long Beach (85% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $16,800 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $51,100)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,500)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($155 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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