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USD UCSB UCI UCLA UC Riverside UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach Purdue| University of California San Diego | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 39,241 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $21,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $19,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $5,459 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 94% |
Admission |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 82,800 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 28,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 34.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 21.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 1090/1300 | ||
| 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 |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $67,900 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,500 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $191 | $158 |
Diversity |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 17% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 23% | ||
Campus |
UCSD | San Diego State | ||
| 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 San Diego is larger than than San Diego State based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 39,241 students)
UCSD vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or San Diego State?
- University of California San Diego is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCSD than San Diego State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than San Diego State ($13,293 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 25.8% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($17,198 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of California San Diego (94% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 342.9% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($24,176 vs. $5,459)
UCSD vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSD or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or UCSD .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 214 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have at the same average high school GPA (3.82) as students at San Diego State (3.82)
- San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (34.4%) than UCSD (24.5%)
UCSD vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSD or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and UCSD.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than San Diego State University (85% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $14,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $3,151 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($15,349 vs. $18,500)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($158 vs. $191)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/