UCSD vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University

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

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
Location La Jolla, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,376 298
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #88
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu jpcatholic.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $28,500
Room & Board $17,198 $15,099
Avg Net Price $13,293 $31,811
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $15,709
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 98%

Admission

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 280
Admitted 32,062 222
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 79.3%Open
Enrolled % 21.8% 33.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/34 21/27
SAT Range 1270/1480 1090/1260
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 John Paul the Great Catholic University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (26%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)

Outcomes

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
Graduation Rate 85% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 82% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $191 $266

Diversity

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
% Men 11% 0%
% Women 9% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 54%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 23%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 17% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 12%

Students

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
% In-State 79% 49%
% Out-of-State 10% 43%

Campus

UCSD John Paul the Great Catholic University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 298 students)

UCSD vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or John Paul the Great Catholic University?

  • John Paul the Great Catholic University is 140.8% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.5% higher at UCSD than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($42,611.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($13,293 vs. $31,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Paul the Great Catholic University are 13.9% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($15,099 vs. $17,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Paul the Great Catholic University than University of California San Diego (98% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 53.9% larger than aid received John Paul the Great Catholic University ($24,176 vs. $15,709)

UCSD vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 238 points higher than at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1106)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at John Paul the Great Catholic University (25)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at John Paul the Great Catholic University (3.56)
  • John Paul the Great Catholic University has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than UCSD (24.5%)

UCSD vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and UCSD.

  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($18,500 vs. $25,750)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($191 vs. $266)

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