San Diego State vs. OSU

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

San Diego State OSU
Location San Diego, CA Corvallis, OR
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 39,241 35,622
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #379
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu oregonstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State OSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,145
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,315
Room & Board $21,630 $15,075
Avg Net Price $19,500 $21,868
Avg Grant Aid $5,459 $9,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 89%

Admission

San Diego State OSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 82,800 29,025
Admitted 28,517 22,886
Acceptance Rate 34.4% 78.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1300 1120/1370
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, 2025 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

San Diego State OSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)

Outcomes

San Diego State OSU
Graduation Rate 66% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $53,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $158 $242

Diversity

San Diego State OSU
% Men 5% 7%
% Women 8% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 67%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 31% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

San Diego State OSU
% In-State 75% 57%
% Out-of-State 23% 40%

Campus

San Diego State OSU
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 OSU based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 35,622 students)

San Diego State vs. OSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Oregon State University is 94.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,145.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89.1% higher at OSU than San Diego State University ($33,315.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than OSU ($19,500 vs. $21,868)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oregon State University are 43.5% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($15,075 vs. $21,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than Oregon State University (94% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oregon State University students is 81.8% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($9,922 vs. $5,459)

San Diego State vs. OSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 17 points higher than at OSU (1113)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at OSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at OSU (3.61)
  • OSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.8%) than San Diego State (34.4%)

San Diego State vs. OSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Oregon State University (66% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Oregon State University earn on average $500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $8,151 lower median federal student loan debt than OSU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,500)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than OSU graduates. ($158 vs. $242)
  • More OSU 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/