UCSD vs. UW-Seattle

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

UCSD UW-Seattle
Location La Jolla, CA Seattle, WA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,376 55,620
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #85
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu washington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD UW-Seattle
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $11,524
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $40,878
Room & Board $17,198 $17,982
Avg Net Price $13,293 $11,023
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $14,390
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 43%

Admission

UCSD UW-Seattle
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 62,428
Admitted 32,062 26,552
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 42.5%
Enrolled % 21.8% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 27/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1200/1453
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Nov 16, 2025

Academics

UCSD UW-Seattle
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD UW-Seattle
Graduation Rate 85% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $191 $155

Diversity

UCSD UW-Seattle
% Men 11% 13%
% Women 9% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 42%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 17% 15%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

UCSD UW-Seattle
% In-State 79% 60%
% Out-of-State 10% 24%

Campus

UCSD UW-Seattle
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 Washington Seattle Campus is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (55,620 students vs. 42,376 students)

UCSD vs. UW-Seattle Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UW-Seattle?

  • University of California San Diego is 2.7% more expensive to attend than UW-Seattle for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,524.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at UCSD than University of Washington Seattle Campus ($42,611.00 vs. $40,878.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Washington Seattle Campus than UCSD ($11,023 vs. $13,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 4.6% lower than costs at University of Washington Seattle Campus ($17,198 vs. $17,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Washington Seattle Campus (64% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 68% larger than aid received University of Washington Seattle Campus ($24,176 vs. $14,390)

UCSD vs. UW-Seattle Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 86 points higher than at UW-Seattle (1258)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UW-Seattle (29)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have at the same average high school GPA (3.82) as students at UW-Seattle (3.82)
  • UW-Seattle has a higher acceptance rate (42.5%) than UCSD (24.5%)

UCSD vs. UW-Seattle Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or UW-Seattle? 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 UW-Seattle and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Washington Seattle Campus (85% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $2,100 more per year than UW-Seattle graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $65,800)
  • University of Washington Seattle Campus students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,500)
  • UW-Seattle graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($155 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UW-Seattle 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/