UCI vs. San Jose State

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

UCLA UCSD UCSB San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Davis Cal State Long Beach UC Riverside Sacramento State UCSC Cal State Fullerton UC Berkeley
University of California Irvine vs. San Jose State University comparison
University of California Irvine San Jose State University College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine San Jose State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCI San Jose State
Location Irvine, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 36,582 36,062
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #571
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCI San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $17,622
Room & Board $18,423 $19,866
Avg Net Price $14,647 $13,833
Avg Grant Aid $21,533 $11,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 61%

Admission

 UCI San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 121,101 35,780
Admitted 30,962 28,708
Acceptance Rate 25.6% 80.2%
Enrolled % 21.9% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.35
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Moderate
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/33 19/26
SAT Range 1230/1430 1010/1240
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 Dec 15, 2025

Academics

 UCI San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

 UCI San Jose State
Graduation Rate 85% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $155

Diversity

 UCI San Jose State
% Men 10% 9%
% Women 10% 15%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 19%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 25% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 UCI San Jose State
% In-State 77% 96%
% Out-of-State 8% 1%

Campus

 UCI San Jose 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 Irvine is larger than than San Jose State based on total student enrollment (36,582 students vs. 36,062 students)

UCI vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or San Jose State?

  • University of California Irvine is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCI than San Jose State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than UCI ($13,833 vs. $14,647)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 7.8% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($18,423 vs. $19,866)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than San Jose State University (65% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 90.4% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($21,533 vs. $11,311)

UCI vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Irvine (1175) is 120 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming UCI students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (80.2%) than UCI (25.6%)

UCI vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI or San Jose 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 Jose State and UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than San Jose State University (85% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $1,900 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $59,900)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UCI graduates. ($15,000 vs. $17,000)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than UCI graduates. ($155 vs. $175)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)

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