UC Riverside vs. ASU

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

UNCW UCSC San Diego State ECU UC Merced WCU University of North Carolina at Asheville NC State UCI UNC Charlotte UCSD San Jose State
University of California Riverside vs. Appalachian State University comparison
University of California Riverside Appalachian State University College 3 College 4
University of California Riverside Appalachian State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Riverside ASU
Location Riverside, CA Boone, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 26,809 20,436
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #594
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu appstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Riverside ASU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $4,242
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $20,246
Room & Board $17,333 $11,582
Avg Net Price $14,487 $13,084
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $7,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 47%

Admission

UC Riverside ASU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 22,255
Admitted 37,563 18,489
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 83.1%
Enrolled % 14.8% 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 21/27
SAT Range 1080/1280 1100/1270
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, 2024 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

UC Riverside ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

UC Riverside ASU
Graduation Rate 67% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $197 $211

Diversity

UC Riverside ASU
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 13% 85%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 36% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UC Riverside ASU
% In-State 94% 87%
% Out-of-State 2% 13%

Campus

UC Riverside ASU
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 Riverside is larger than than ASU based on total student enrollment (26,809 students vs. 20,436 students)

UC Riverside vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or ASU?

  • University of California Riverside is 172.6% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.7% higher at UC Riverside than Appalachian State University ($41,636.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than UC Riverside ($13,084 vs. $14,487)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Appalachian State University are 49.7% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($11,582 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than Appalachian State University (75% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 196.1% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($22,042 vs. $7,443)

UC Riverside vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 38 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at ASU (26)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at UC Riverside (3.84)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (83.1%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside or ASU? 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 ASU and UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than Appalachian State University (67% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $10,600 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $41,600)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $1,391 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($19,109 vs. $20,500)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($197 vs. $211)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 65%)

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