San Diego State vs. UNCG

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

San Diego State UNCG
Location San Diego, CA Greensboro, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 39,241 17,743
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #692
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu uncg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State UNCG
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,422
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,168
Room & Board $21,630 $10,534
Avg Net Price $19,500 $10,592
Avg Grant Aid $5,459 $8,921
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 83%

Admission

San Diego State UNCG
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 82,800 12,379
Admitted 28,517 11,120
Acceptance Rate 34.4% 89.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 22/27
SAT Range 1090/1300 1100/1280
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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

San Diego State UNCG
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State UNCG
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $22,737
Median Loan Payment $158 $235

Diversity

San Diego State UNCG
% Men 5% 6%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 52%
% Black 4% 28%
% Hispanic 31% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

San Diego State UNCG
% In-State 75% 93%
% Out-of-State 23% 5%

Campus

San Diego State UNCG
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 UNCG based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 17,743 students)

San Diego State vs. UNCG Cost Comparison

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

  • San Diego State University is 29.9% more expensive to attend than UNCG for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,422.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.4% higher at UNCG than San Diego State University ($20,168.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than San Diego State ($10,592 vs. $19,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are 105.3% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($10,534 vs. $21,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (94% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Greensboro students is 63.4% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($8,921 vs. $5,459)

San Diego State vs. UNCG Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 95 points higher than at UNCG (1035)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNCG (23)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UNCG (3.59)
  • UNCG has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than San Diego State (34.4%)

San Diego State vs. UNCG Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $14,300 more per year than UNCG graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $39,100)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,388 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCG graduates. ($15,349 vs. $22,737)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than UNCG graduates. ($158 vs. $235)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCG students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 56%)

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