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USD San Diego State UCSB ASU UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue Michigan| University of Arizona | University of California San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
U of A | UCSD | ||
| Location | Tucson, AZ | La Jolla, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 53,001 | 42,376 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #269 | #88 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | arizona.edu | ucsd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
U of A | UCSD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,871 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,340 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,400 | $17,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,144 | $13,293 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,511 | $24,176 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 64% |
Admission |
U of A | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,466 | 130,771 | ||
| Admitted | 48,369 | 32,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.7% | 24.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.9% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 21/30 | 28/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1420 | 1270/1480 | ||
| 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 | UCSD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
U of A | UCSD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 61% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $54,000 | $67,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $191 |
Diversity |
U of A | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 52% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 6% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
U of A | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 44% | 10% | ||
Campus |
U of A | UCSD | ||
| 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 UCSD based on total student enrollment (53,001 students vs. 42,376 students)
U of A vs. UCSD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, U of A or UCSD?
- University of Arizona is 0.3% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at UCSD 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 San Diego than U of A ($13,293 vs. $18,144)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arizona are 19.4% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,400 vs. $17,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than University of California San Diego (97% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 46.4% larger than aid received University of Arizona ($24,176 vs. $16,511)
U of A vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, U of A or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or U of A .
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at U of A (3.48)
- U of A has a higher acceptance rate (85.7%) than UCSD (24.5%)
U of A vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, U of A or UCSD? 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 UCSD and U of A.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Arizona (85% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $13,900 more per year than U of A graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $54,000)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than U of A graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,000)
- UCSD graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than U of A graduates. ($191 vs. $196)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/