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IU USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA UC Davis Virginia Tech UW-Seattle Illinois UC Berkeley Rose-Hulman| University of California San Diego | Purdue University Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | West Lafayette, IN | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 52,905 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #103 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | purdue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $9,718 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $28,520 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $11,650 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $12,421 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $11,126 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 39% |
Admission |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 73,083 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 36,763 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 50.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 25.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 27/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 1190/1460 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $67,900 | $61,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,500 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $191 | $222 |
Diversity |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 17% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 44% | ||
Campus |
UCSD | Purdue | ||
| 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
- Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 42,376 students)
UCSD vs. Purdue Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Purdue?
- University of California San Diego is 21.8% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $9,718.00)
- Out of state tuition is 49.4% higher at UCSD than Purdue University Main Campus ($42,611.00 vs. $28,520.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UCSD ($12,421 vs. $13,293)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 47.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($11,650 vs. $17,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than Purdue University Main Campus (64% vs. 39%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 117.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($24,176 vs. $11,126)
UCSD vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSD or Purdue? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purdue or UCSD .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 113 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Purdue (3.67)
- Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than UCSD (24.5%)
UCSD vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSD or Purdue? 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 Purdue and UCSD.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (85% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $6,700 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $61,200)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($18,500 vs. $21,500)
- UCSD graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($191 vs. $222)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/