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USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley Stanford UC Riverside Purdue Michigan| University of California San Diego | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | USC | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 47,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #36 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $66,640 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $66,640 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $19,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $41,496 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $43,208 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 68% |
Admission |
UCSD | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 80,808 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 8,094 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 10% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 44.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 1440/1550 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
UCSD | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSD | USC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $67,900 | $85,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,500 | $22,375 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $191 | $231 |
Diversity |
UCSD | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 30% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 40% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 17% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSD | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 38% | ||
Campus |
UCSD | USC | ||
| 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 Southern California is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (47,147 students vs. 42,376 students)
UCSD vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or USC?
- University of Southern California is 463.1% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 56.4% higher at USC than University of California San Diego ($66,640.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than USC ($13,293 vs. $41,496)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 11.6% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,198 vs. $19,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of California San Diego (68% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 78.7% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($43,208 vs. $24,176)
UCSD vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSD or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or UCSD .
- The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 47 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
- Incoming USC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCSD (31)
- Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSD (3.82)
- UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (24.5%) than USC (10%)
UCSD vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSD or USC? 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 USC and UCSD.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than University of California San Diego (90% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $17,600 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $67,900)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($18,500 vs. $22,375)
- UCSD graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($191 vs. $231)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/