San Diego State vs. Kentucky

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

San Diego State Kentucky
Location San Diego, CA Lexington, KY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 31,547
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #408
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu uky.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State Kentucky
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,496
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $30,913
Room & Board $19,714 $14,676
Avg Net Price $13,017 $18,693
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $14,114
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 94%

Admission

San Diego State Kentucky
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 22,109
Admitted 30,331 20,979
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 94.9%
Enrolled % 21.7% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 21/28
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

San Diego State Kentucky
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State Kentucky
Graduation Rate 66% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $22,750
Median Loan Payment $158 $235

Diversity

San Diego State Kentucky
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 76%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 31% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

San Diego State Kentucky
% In-State 77% 61%
% Out-of-State 21% 37%

Campus

San Diego State Kentucky
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 31,547 students)

San Diego State vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Kentucky is 100.2% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.4% higher at Kentucky than San Diego State University ($30,913.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Kentucky ($13,017 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kentucky are 34.3% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($14,676 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than San Diego State University (94% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 42.1% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($14,114 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 13 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of Kentucky (66% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $2,400 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $51,000)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,401 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($15,349 vs. $22,750)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($158 vs. $235)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 62%)

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