UCSD vs. Hunter

Should I go to University of California San Diego or CUNY Hunter College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD or Hunter 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 San Diego vs. CUNY Hunter College comparison
University of California San Diego CUNY Hunter College College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego CUNY Hunter College
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Overview

 UCSD Hunter
Location La Jolla, CA New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,376 22,879
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #283
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD Hunter
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $14,880
Room & Board $17,198 $11,324
Avg Net Price $13,293 $4,127
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $9,624
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 88%

Admission

 UCSD Hunter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 31,614
Admitted 32,062 17,087
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 54%
Enrolled % 21.8% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1210/1470
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

Academics

 UCSD Hunter
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 UCSD Hunter
Graduation Rate 85% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $11,548
Median Loan Payment $191 $119

Diversity

 UCSD Hunter
% Men 11% 6%
% Women 9% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 27%
% Black 1% 10%
% Hispanic 16% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 17% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 UCSD Hunter
% In-State 79% 85%
% Out-of-State 10% 0%

Campus

 UCSD Hunter
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than Hunter based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 22,879 students)

UCSD vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Hunter?

  • University of California San Diego is 70.8% more expensive to attend than Hunter for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 186.4% higher at UCSD than CUNY Hunter College ($42,611.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than UCSD ($4,127 vs. $13,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 51.9% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($11,324 vs. $17,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than University of California San Diego (88% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 151.2% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($24,176 vs. $9,624)

UCSD vs. Hunter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 179 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Hunter (3.7)
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (54%) than UCSD (24.5%)

UCSD vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or Hunter? 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 Hunter and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than CUNY Hunter College (85% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $19,100 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $48,800)
  • CUNY Hunter College students graduate with a $6,952 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($11,548 vs. $18,500)
  • Hunter graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($119 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 56%)

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