UCSD vs. San Diego State

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

UCSD San Diego State
Location La Jolla, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,006 37,402
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $16,710 $19,714
Avg Net Price $16,111 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 43%

Admission

UCSD San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 77,250
Admitted 31,103 30,331
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 39.3%
Enrolled % 21% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very 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, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UCSD San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

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 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
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 81% 77%
% Out-of-State 8% 21%

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 (42,006 students vs. 37,402 students)

UCSD vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or San Diego State?

  • University of California San Diego is 101.4% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSD than San Diego State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than UCSD ($13,017 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 18% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,710 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than San Diego State University (55% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 109.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($20,782 vs. $9,934)

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 (39.3%) than UCSD (23.7%)

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/