UCSD vs. Maryland

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

UCSD Maryland
Location La Jolla, CA College Park, MD
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 42,006 40,792
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #95
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu umd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Maryland
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,695
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,931
Room & Board $16,710 $14,576
Avg Net Price $16,111 $16,210
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $11,232
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 48%

Admission

UCSD Maryland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 56,761
Admitted 31,103 25,320
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 44.6%
Enrolled % 21% 23.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.84
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 30/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1360/1520
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, 2024

Academics

UCSD Maryland
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD Maryland
Graduation Rate 85% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $68,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $191 $201

Diversity

UCSD Maryland
% Men 50% 51%
% Women 50% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 52%
% Black 1% 13%
% Hispanic 16% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 17% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

UCSD Maryland
% In-State 81% 72%
% Out-of-State 8% 26%

Campus

UCSD Maryland
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 Maryland based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 40,792 students)

UCSD vs. Maryland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Maryland?

  • University of California San Diego is 19.3% more expensive to attend than Maryland for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,695.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at UCSD than University of Maryland College Park ($41,636.00 vs. $37,931.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Maryland ($16,111 vs. $16,210)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland College Park are 14.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,576 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Maryland College Park (55% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 85% larger than aid received University of Maryland College Park ($20,782 vs. $11,232)

UCSD vs. Maryland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 29 points higher than at Maryland (1315)
  • Accepted freshman Maryland students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • Maryland has a higher acceptance rate (44.6%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Maryland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Maryland College Park (85% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn on average $400 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($68,300 vs. $67,900)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Maryland graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,500)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Maryland graduates. ($191 vs. $201)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Maryland students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 80%)

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