San Diego State vs. MSU

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

San Diego State MSU
Location San Diego, CA Bozeman, MT
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 37,402 16,681
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #590
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu montana.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State MSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,824
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $27,391
Room & Board $19,714 $11,300
Avg Net Price $13,017 $17,250
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $5,749
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 100%

Admission

San Diego State MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 28,794
Admitted 30,331 21,116
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 73.3%
Enrolled % 21.7% 17.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29 20/27
SAT Range 1090/1300 1070/1290
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

San Diego State MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

San Diego State MSU
Graduation Rate 66% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $45,800
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $248

Diversity

San Diego State MSU
% Men 42% 52%
% Women 58% 48%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 86%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 31% 4%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State MSU
% In-State 77% 35%
% Out-of-State 21% 65%

Campus

San Diego State MSU
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 MSU based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 16,681 students)

San Diego State vs. MSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Montana State University is 1.4% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($5,824.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.4% higher at MSU than San Diego State University ($27,391.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than MSU ($13,017 vs. $17,250)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University are 74.5% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($11,300 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than San Diego State University (100% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 72.8% larger than aid received Montana State University ($9,934 vs. $5,749)

San Diego State vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Montana State University (1131) is 1 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at MSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at MSU (3.5)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Montana State University (66% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $7,600 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $45,800)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $8,651 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $24,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($158 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 65%)

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