HMC vs. San Diego State

Should I go to Harvey Mudd College or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HMC 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

USD UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Pomona Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU Claremont McKenna
Harvey Mudd College vs. San Diego State University comparison
Harvey Mudd College San Diego State University College 3 College 4
Harvey Mudd College San Diego State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

HMC San Diego State
Location Claremont, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 922 37,402
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hmc.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HMC San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $62,516 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $62,516 $17,622
Room & Board $19,879 $19,714
Avg Net Price $39,850 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $42,386 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 43%

Admission

HMC San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,440 77,250
Admitted 593 30,331
Acceptance Rate 13.4% 39.3%
Enrolled % 40% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 34/36 22/29
SAT Range 1480/1560 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 5, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

HMC San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

HMC San Diego State
Graduation Rate 84% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,900 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,540 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $264 $158

Diversity

HMC San Diego State
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 34%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 13% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

HMC San Diego State
% In-State 43% 77%
% Out-of-State 43% 21%

Campus

HMC San Diego State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 HMC based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 922 students)

HMC vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

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

  • Harvey Mudd College is 988.7% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254.8% higher at HMC than San Diego State University ($62,516.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than HMC ($13,017 vs. $39,850)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Diego State University are 0.8% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($19,714 vs. $19,879)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than San Diego State University (57% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvey Mudd College students is 326.7% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($42,386 vs. $9,934)

HMC vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HMC 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 HMC .

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 354 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming HMC students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman HMC students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than HMC (13.4%)

HMC vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HMC 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 HMC.

  • The graduation rate at HMC is higher than San Diego State University (84% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $31,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $10,191 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($15,349 vs. $25,540)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $106 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($158 vs. $264)

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