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Colorado State USD CU Denver San Diego State UCSB UCI DU UCLA Colorado School of Mines UC Davis UW-Seattle Utah| University of California San Diego | University of Colorado Boulder | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | Boulder, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 41,432 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #197 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | colorado.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $14,784 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $40,297 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $16,950 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $22,640 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $10,838 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 54% |
Admission |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 56,069 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 46,692 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 83.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 16.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 28/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 1230/1420 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $67,900 | $56,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,500 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $191 | $201 |
Diversity |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 14% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 17% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 53% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UCSD | CU Boulder | ||
| 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 CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 41,432 students)
UCSD vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or CU Boulder?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 24.9% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at UCSD than University of Colorado Boulder ($42,611.00 vs. $40,297.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than CU Boulder ($13,293 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 1.5% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($16,950 vs. $17,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Colorado Boulder (64% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 123.1% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($24,176 vs. $10,838)
UCSD vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSD or CU Boulder? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CU Boulder or UCSD .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 132 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at CU Boulder (27)
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than UCSD (24.5%)
UCSD vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSD or CU Boulder? 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 CU Boulder and UCSD.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (85% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $11,000 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $56,900)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,500)
- UCSD graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($191 vs. $201)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/