UCSD vs. UMass

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

UCSD UMass
Location La Jolla, CA Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 42,006 32,229
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #176
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu umass.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD UMass
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $16,186
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,405
Room & Board $16,710 $14,123
Avg Net Price $16,111 $22,291
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $12,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 85%

Admission

UCSD UMass
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 45,451
Admitted 31,103 28,871
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 63.5%
Enrolled % 21% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 29/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1260/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UCSD UMass
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

UCSD UMass
Graduation Rate 85% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $55,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $191 $248

Diversity

UCSD UMass
% Men 50% 49%
% Women 50% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 21% 67%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 17% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

UCSD UMass
% In-State 81% 65%
% Out-of-State 8% 24%

Campus

UCSD UMass
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than UMass based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 32,229 students)

UCSD vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UMass?

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is 40% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($16,186.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.3% higher at UCSD than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($41,636.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than UMass ($16,111 vs. $22,291)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 18.3% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,123 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than University of California San Diego (85% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 68.3% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($20,782 vs. $12,350)

UCSD vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 118 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UMass (28)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (85% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $12,700 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $55,200)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($18,500 vs. $24,000)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than UMass graduates. ($191 vs. $248)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

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