San Diego State vs. CSUMB

Should I go to San Diego State University or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Diego State or CSUMB 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 Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU San Jose State UCLA
San Diego State University vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
San Diego State University California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
San Diego State University California State University Monterey Bay
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

San Diego State CSUMB
Location San Diego, CA Seaside, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 37,402 7,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $19,714 $16,262
Avg Net Price $13,017 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 66%

Admission

San Diego State CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 12,568
Admitted 30,331 11,611
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 92.4%
Enrolled % 21.7% 7.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.45
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 17/23
SAT Range 1090/1300 960/1160
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

San Diego State CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State CSUMB
Graduation Rate 66% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $144

Diversity

San Diego State CSUMB
% Men 42% 38%
% Women 58% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 31%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 31% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

San Diego State CSUMB
% In-State 77% 96%
% Out-of-State 21% 2%

Campus

San Diego State CSUMB
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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 7,045 students)

San Diego State vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

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

  • San Diego State University and CSUMB cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at San Diego State as California State University Monterey Bay ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than San Diego State ($11,435 vs. $13,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Monterey Bay are 21.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,262 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Monterey Bay than San Diego State University (66% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 14.2% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($9,934 vs. $8,702)

San Diego State vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CSUMB (3.45)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (66% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $8,100 more per year than CSUMB graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $45,300)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $1,349 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($14,000 vs. $15,349)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($144 vs. $158)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 65%)

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