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San Diego State UC Merced UCSB UC Davis UCI Cal Poly UCSD San Jose State ASU SCU Cal State Long Beach USF| University of California Riverside | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
| Location | Riverside, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,426 | 19,764 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #265 | #251 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucr.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,433 | $18,785 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $16,526 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,566 | $21,564 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 70% | 65% |
Admission |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 62,807 | 68,845 | ||
| Admitted | 39,758 | 43,054 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 63.3% | 62.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.9% | 10.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.84 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 22/31 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1280 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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 |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,200 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,109 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $197 | $206 |
Diversity |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 13% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 36% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 7% | ||
Campus |
UC Riverside | UCSC | ||
| 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (26,426 students vs. 19,764 students)
UC Riverside vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or UCSC?
- University of California Riverside and UCSC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at UC Riverside as University of California Santa Cruz ($42,611.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than UCSC ($13,533 vs. $16,526)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Cruz are 3.4% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($18,785 vs. $19,433)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than University of California Santa Cruz (70% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 0% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($21,566 vs. $21,564)
UC Riverside vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UC Riverside or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or UC Riverside .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 82 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UC Riverside (26)
- Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UC Riverside has a higher acceptance rate (63.3%) than UCSC (62.5%)
UC Riverside vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UC Riverside or UCSC? 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 UCSC and UC Riverside.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of California Riverside (73% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $1,800 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Riverside students graduate with a $850 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,109 vs. $19,959)
- UC Riverside graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($197 vs. $206)
- More UCSC 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/