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UCLA ASU UCSD UCSB UC Davis UC Riverside UCSC UC Berkeley Cal Poly San Diego State UW-Seattle USC| University of Arizona | University of California Irvine | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
U of A | UCI | ||
| Location | Tucson, AZ | Irvine, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 53,001 | 36,582 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #269 | #93 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | arizona.edu | uci.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
U of A | UCI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,871 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,340 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,400 | $18,423 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,144 | $14,647 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,511 | $21,533 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 65% |
Admission |
U of A | UCI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,466 | 121,101 | ||
| Admitted | 48,369 | 30,962 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.7% | 25.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.9% | 21.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 21/30 | 26/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1420 | 1230/1430 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
U of A | UCI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
U of A | UCI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 61% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $54,000 | $61,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $17,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $175 |
Diversity |
U of A | UCI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 52% | 15% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 25% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
U of A | UCI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 44% | 8% | ||
Campus |
U of A | UCI | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Arizona is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (53,001 students vs. 36,582 students)
U of A vs. UCI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, U of A or UCI?
- University of Arizona is 0.3% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at UCI than University of Arizona ($42,611.00 vs. $39,340.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than U of A ($14,647 vs. $18,144)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arizona are 27.9% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($14,400 vs. $18,423)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than University of California Irvine (97% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 30.4% larger than aid received University of Arizona ($21,533 vs. $16,511)
U of A vs. UCI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, U of A or UCI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCI or U of A .
- Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at U of A (3.48)
- U of A has a higher acceptance rate (85.7%) than UCI (25.6%)
U of A vs. UCI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, U of A or UCI? 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 UCI and U of A.
- The graduation rate at UCI is higher than University of Arizona (85% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $7,800 more per year than U of A graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $54,000)
- University of California Irvine students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than U of A graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,000)
- UCI graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than U of A graduates. ($175 vs. $196)
- More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/