UC Davis vs. SCI-Arc

Should I go to University of California Davis or Southern California Institute of Architecture? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Davis or SCI-Arc 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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University of California Davis vs. Southern California Institute of Architecture comparison
University of California Davis Southern California Institute of Architecture College 3 College 4
University of California Davis Southern California Institute of Architecture
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Overview

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Location Davis, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 39,707 457
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #99
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdavis.edu sciarc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $51,964
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $51,964
Room & Board $19,068 $13,555
Avg Net Price $17,315 $21,514
Avg Grant Aid $21,258 $45,500
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 25%

Admission

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 94,637 606
Admitted 39,400 501
Acceptance Rate 41.6% 82.7%
Enrolled % 16.7% 7%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.5
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33
SAT Range 1160/1400 1020/1230
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Architecture (100%)

Outcomes

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Graduation Rate 82% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,200 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,676 $42,750
Median Loan Payment $151 $442

Diversity

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
% Men 9% 28%
% Women 11% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 28% 13%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 19% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 11% 51%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
% In-State 79% 29%
% Out-of-State 5% 14%

Campus

 UC Davis SCI-Arc
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Davis is larger than than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (39,707 students vs. 457 students)

UC Davis vs. SCI-Arc Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis or SCI-Arc?

  • Southern California Institute of Architecture is 339.1% more expensive to attend than UC Davis for in-state tuition ($51,964.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.9% higher at SCI-Arc than University of California Davis ($51,964.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than SCI-Arc ($17,315 vs. $21,514)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 40.7% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($13,555 vs. $19,068)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Davis than Southern California Institute of Architecture (51% vs. 25%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 114% larger than aid received University of California Davis ($45,500 vs. $21,258)

UC Davis vs. SCI-Arc Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Davis or SCI-Arc? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SCI-Arc or UC Davis .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Davis (1226) is 110 points higher than at SCI-Arc (1116)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at SCI-Arc (27)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at SCI-Arc (3.5)
  • SCI-Arc has a higher acceptance rate (82.7%) than UC Davis (41.6%)

UC Davis vs. SCI-Arc Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Davis or SCI-Arc? 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 SCI-Arc and UC Davis.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than Southern California Institute of Architecture (82% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $18,800 more per year than SCI-Arc graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $46,400)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $28,074 lower median federal student loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates. ($14,676 vs. $42,750)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $291 less per month on federal student loans than SCI-Arc graduates. ($151 vs. $442)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCI-Arc students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 62%)

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