San Diego State vs. VCU

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

San Diego State VCU
Location San Diego, CA Richmond, VA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 37,402 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State VCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $33,726
Room & Board $19,714 $12,279
Avg Net Price $13,017 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 83%

Admission

San Diego State VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 18,242
Admitted 30,331 16,600
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 91%
Enrolled % 21.7% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 22/30
SAT Range 1090/1300 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

San Diego State VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State VCU
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $158 $240

Diversity

San Diego State VCU
% Men 42% 36%
% Women 58% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 50%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 31% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State VCU
% In-State 77% 92%
% Out-of-State 21% 6%

Campus

San Diego State VCU
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 VCU based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 28,082 students)

San Diego State vs. VCU Cost Comparison

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

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 117% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.4% higher at VCU than San Diego State University ($33,726.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than VCU ($13,017 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 60.6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($12,279 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than San Diego State University (83% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 26.7% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($12,583 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 33 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at VCU (3.75)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $5,900 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $47,500)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,901 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,250)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($158 vs. $240)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU 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/