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USD UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU UMass San Jose State| San Diego State University | University of Massachusetts Lowell | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Lowell, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 16,770 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #428 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | uml.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $15,850 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $34,676 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $15,424 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $17,624 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $12,647 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 79% |
Admission |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 12,628 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 10,764 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 85.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 26/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 1180/1350 | ||
| 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 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $258 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 64% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 5% |
Students |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
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| % In-State | 75% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 10% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 16,770 students)
San Diego State vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or University of Massachusetts-Lowell?
- University of Massachusetts Lowell is 176% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($15,850.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 96.8% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than San Diego State University ($34,676.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than San Diego State ($17,624 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 40.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($15,424 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of Massachusetts Lowell (94% vs. 79%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 131.7% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($12,647 vs. $5,459)
San Diego State vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Massachusetts-Lowell or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 67 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell and San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (66% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $1,900 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $9,651 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($15,349 vs. $25,000)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($158 vs. $258)
- More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/