San Diego State vs. UNC Charlotte

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

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
Location San Diego, CA Charlotte, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 29,551
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,936
Room & Board $19,714 $12,896
Avg Net Price $13,017 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 60%

Admission

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 21,355
Admitted 30,331 17,007
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 79.6%
Enrolled % 21.7% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 20/27
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $237

Diversity

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 60%
% Black 4% 17%
% Hispanic 31% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
% In-State 77% 89%
% Out-of-State 21% 8%

Campus

San Diego State UNC Charlotte
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 UNC Charlotte based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 29,551 students)

San Diego State vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or UNC Charlotte?

  • San Diego State University is 50.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at UNC Charlotte than San Diego State University ($17,936.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than UNC Charlotte ($13,017 vs. $13,951)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 52.9% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($12,896 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than San Diego State University (60% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 25.6% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($9,934 vs. $7,907)

San Diego State vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 37 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $4,800 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $48,600)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,651 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($158 vs. $237)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 61%)

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