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ASU UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI UCSD SCU Cal State Long Beach| University of Arizona | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
U of A | UCSC | ||
| Location | Tucson, AZ | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 53,001 | 19,764 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #269 | #251 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | arizona.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
U of A | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,871 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,340 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,400 | $18,785 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,144 | $16,526 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,511 | $21,564 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 65% |
Admission |
U of A | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,466 | 68,845 | ||
| Admitted | 48,369 | 43,054 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.7% | 62.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.9% | 10.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/30 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1420 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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 | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
U of A | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 61% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $54,000 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $206 |
Diversity |
U of A | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 52% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
U of A | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 44% | 7% | ||
Campus |
U of A | UCSC | ||
| 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (53,001 students vs. 19,764 students)
U of A vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, U of A or UCSC?
- University of Arizona is 0.3% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at UCSC 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 Santa Cruz than U of A ($16,526 vs. $18,144)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arizona are 30.5% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($14,400 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than University of California Santa Cruz (97% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 30.6% larger than aid received University of Arizona ($21,564 vs. $16,511)
U of A vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, U of A or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or U of A .
- Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at U of A (3.48)
- U of A has a higher acceptance rate (85.7%) than UCSC (62.5%)
U of A vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, U of A or UCSC? 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 UCSC and U of A.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Arizona (73% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of Arizona earn on average $3,600 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $50,400)
- University of Arizona students graduate with a $959 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,959)
- U of A graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($196 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/