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USD UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB JMU Mason ASU| San Diego State University | Old Dominion University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Norfolk, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 22,541 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #558 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | odu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $7,590 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $27,465 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $14,592 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $16,150 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $10,006 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 94% |
Admission |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 15,216 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 13,773 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 90.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 19.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 1110/1290 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $242 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 47% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 27% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 6% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 6% |
Students |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 75% | 89% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 6% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | Old Dominion | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than Old Dominion based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 22,541 students)
San Diego State vs. Old Dominion Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or Old Dominion?
- Old Dominion University is 32.2% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($7,590.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 55.9% higher at Old Dominion than San Diego State University ($27,465.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Old Dominion University than San Diego State ($16,150 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Old Dominion University are 48.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($14,592 vs. $21,630)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University as Old Dominion University (94% vs. 94%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Old Dominion University students is 83.3% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,006 vs. $5,459)
San Diego State vs. Old Dominion Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or Old Dominion? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Old Dominion or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 110 points higher than at Old Dominion (1020)
- Incoming San Diego State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Old Dominion (21)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Old Dominion (3.3)
- Old Dominion has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. Old Dominion Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State or Old Dominion? 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 Old Dominion and San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Old Dominion University (66% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $5,800 more per year than Old Dominion graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $47,600)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $8,151 lower median federal student loan debt than Old Dominion graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,500)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than Old Dominion graduates. ($158 vs. $242)
- More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Old Dominion students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/