UCSD vs. Pomona

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

UCSD Pomona
Location La Jolla, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 42,376 1,664
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #20
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu pomona.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Pomona
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $61,906
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $61,906
Room & Board $17,198 $20,374
Avg Net Price $13,293 $17,423
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $63,773
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 56%

Admission

UCSD Pomona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 12,121
Admitted 32,062 819
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 6.8%
Enrolled % 21.8% 49.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 28/34 33/35
SAT Range 1270/1480 1480/1560
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 Jan 8, 2026

Academics

UCSD Pomona
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD Pomona
Graduation Rate 85% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $70,500
Making Student Loan Payments 82% -
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $11,000
Median Loan Payment $191 $113

Diversity

UCSD Pomona
% Men 11% 1%
% Women 9% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 40%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 16% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 17% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

UCSD Pomona
% In-State 79% 30%
% Out-of-State 10% 51%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 1,664 students)

UCSD vs. Pomona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Pomona?

  • Pomona College is 423.1% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($61,906.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.3% higher at Pomona than University of California San Diego ($61,906.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Pomona ($13,293 vs. $17,423)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 18.5% lower than costs at Pomona College ($17,198 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than Pomona College (64% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 163.8% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($63,773 vs. $24,176)

UCSD vs. Pomona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 91 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCSD (31)
  • Accepted freshman Pomona students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (24.5%) than Pomona (6.8%)

UCSD vs. Pomona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than University of California San Diego (95% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Pomona College earn on average $2,600 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($70,500 vs. $67,900)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($11,000 vs. $18,500)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($113 vs. $191)

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