Chapman vs. San Diego State

Should I go to Chapman University or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Chapman or San Diego State 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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Chapman University vs. San Diego State University comparison
Chapman University San Diego State University College 3 College 4
Chapman University San Diego State University
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Overview

Chapman San Diego State
Location Orange, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 9,961 39,241
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #337
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chapman.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Chapman San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $62,400 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $62,400 $17,622
Room & Board $17,378 $21,630
Avg Net Price $48,037 $19,500
Avg Grant Aid $33,274 $5,459
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 94%

Admission

Chapman San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,914 82,800
Admitted 8,849 28,517
Acceptance Rate 55.6% 34.4%
Enrolled % 20.4% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 28/32 22/29
SAT Range 1250/1430 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

Chapman San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (27%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Chapman San Diego State
Graduation Rate 72% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,938 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $216 $158

Diversity

Chapman San Diego State
% Men 8% 5%
% Women 13% 8%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 34%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Chapman San Diego State
% In-State 61% 75%
% Out-of-State 35% 23%

Campus

Chapman San Diego State
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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Chapman based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 9,961 students)

Chapman vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chapman or San Diego State?

  • Chapman University is 986.7% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($62,400.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254.1% higher at Chapman than San Diego State University ($62,400.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Chapman ($19,500 vs. $48,037)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chapman University are 24.5% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($17,378 vs. $21,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than Chapman University (94% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chapman University students is 509.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($33,274 vs. $5,459)

Chapman vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Chapman University (1217) is 87 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Chapman students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Chapman (3.7)
  • Chapman has a higher acceptance rate (55.6%) than San Diego State (34.4%)

Chapman vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chapman or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Chapman.

  • The graduation rate at Chapman is higher than San Diego State University (72% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Chapman University earn on average $700 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $5,589 lower median federal student loan debt than Chapman graduates. ($15,349 vs. $20,938)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Chapman graduates. ($158 vs. $216)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chapman students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 65%)

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