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USD UCSD UCLA UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UC Berkeley| University of California Irvine | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
| Location | Irvine, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,582 | 39,241 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #93 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uci.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,423 | $21,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,647 | $19,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,533 | $5,459 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 94% |
Admission |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 121,101 | 82,800 | ||
| Admitted | 30,962 | 28,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 25.6% | 34.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.9% | 21.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.75 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 26/33 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1430 | 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,800 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $158 |
Diversity |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 15% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 16% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
UCI | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 23% | ||
Campus |
UCI | 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
- San Diego State University is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 36,582 students)
UCI vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCI or San Diego State?
- University of California Irvine is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCI than San Diego State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than San Diego State ($14,647 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 17.4% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,423 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of California Irvine (94% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 294.4% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($21,533 vs. $5,459)
UCI vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCI 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 UCI .
- The average SAT score at University of California Irvine (1175) is 45 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming UCI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCI (3.75)
- San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (34.4%) than UCI (25.6%)
UCI vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.
- The graduation rate at UCI is higher than San Diego State University (85% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $8,400 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $1,651 lower median federal student loan debt than UCI graduates. ($15,349 vs. $17,000)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than UCI graduates. ($158 vs. $175)
- More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/