UC Berkeley vs. San Diego State

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or San Diego State 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

USD UCSD UCLA UC Riverside Stanford Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UT Austin UCSC San Francisco State UC Davis
University of California Berkeley vs. San Diego State University comparison
University of California Berkeley San Diego State University College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley San Diego State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Location Berkeley, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 37,402
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $21,402 $19,714
Avg Net Price $19,257 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 43%

Admission

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 77,250
Admitted 14,523 30,331
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 39.3%
Enrolled % 46.3% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 30/35 22/29
SAT Range 1310/1530 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Graduation Rate 90% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $146 $158

Diversity

UC Berkeley San Diego State
% Men 46% 42%
% Women 54% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 34%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

UC Berkeley San Diego State
% In-State 78% 77%
% Out-of-State 11% 21%

Campus

UC Berkeley San Diego State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than San Diego State based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 37,402 students)

UC Berkeley vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or San Diego State?

  • University of California Berkeley is 101.4% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Berkeley than San Diego State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than UC Berkeley ($13,017 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Diego State University are 8.6% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($19,714 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Berkeley than San Diego State University (52% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 118.1% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($21,669 vs. $9,934)

UC Berkeley vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 267 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than San Diego State University (90% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $21,300 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $53,400)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $1,149 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($14,200 vs. $15,349)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($146 vs. $158)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 65%)

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