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USD UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC K-State San Francisco State UCSB ASU San Jose State| San Diego State University | University of Kansas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
San Diego State | KU | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Lawrence, KS | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 28,406 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #291 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | ku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | KU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $10,596 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $28,308 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $10,818 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $18,322 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $10,644 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 89% |
Admission |
San Diego State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 19,226 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 16,958 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 88.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 31% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 1050/1290 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Aug 15, 2026 |
Academics |
San Diego State | KU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | KU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 61% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | $54,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $211 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
San Diego State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 75% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 43% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | KU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 28,406 students)
San Diego State vs. KU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or KU?
- University of Kansas is 84.5% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 60.6% higher at KU than San Diego State University ($28,308.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than San Diego State ($18,322 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 99.9% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($10,818 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of Kansas (94% vs. 89%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 95% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,644 vs. $5,459)
San Diego State vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 15 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at KU (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at KU (3.66)
- KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State or KU? 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 KU and San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of Kansas (66% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $1,200 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $5,151 lower median federal student loan debt than KU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $20,500)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than KU graduates. ($158 vs. $211)
- More KU 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/