UCSD vs. UOP

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

 UCSD UOP
Location La Jolla, CA Stockton, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,376 6,755
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #172
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu pacific.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD UOP
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $54,506
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $54,506
Room & Board $17,198 $16,688
Avg Net Price $13,293 $30,975
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $38,314
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 98%

Admission

 UCSD UOP
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 5,763
Admitted 32,062 5,467
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 94.9%
Enrolled % 21.8% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/34 23/31
SAT Range 1270/1480 1160/1420
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 UOP
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 UCSD UOP
Graduation Rate 85% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $81,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $24,625
Median Loan Payment $191 $254

Diversity

 UCSD UOP
% Men 11% 20%
% Women 9% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 27%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 17% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 UCSD UOP
% In-State 79% 83%
% Out-of-State 10% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than UOP based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 6,755 students)

UCSD vs. UOP Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UOP?

  • University of the Pacific is 360.6% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($54,506.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.9% higher at UOP than University of California San Diego ($54,506.00 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 UOP ($13,293 vs. $30,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Pacific are 3.1% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($16,688 vs. $17,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Pacific than University of California San Diego (98% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Pacific students is 58.5% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($38,314 vs. $24,176)

UCSD vs. UOP Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 192 points higher than at UOP (1152)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UOP (26)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UOP (3.58)
  • UOP has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than UCSD (24.5%)

UCSD vs. UOP Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of the Pacific (85% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from University of the Pacific earn on average $13,500 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($81,400 vs. $67,900)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $6,125 lower median federal student loan debt than UOP graduates. ($18,500 vs. $24,625)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than UOP graduates. ($191 vs. $254)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UOP students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 70%)

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