UCSD vs. Wisconsin

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

UCSD Wisconsin
Location La Jolla, CA Madison, WI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 42,006 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $37,904
Room & Board $16,710 $12,894
Avg Net Price $16,111 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 47%

Admission

UCSD Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 60,214
Admitted 31,103 29,539
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 49.1%
Enrolled % 21% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 26/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 1340/1510
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 Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 85% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $191 $230

Diversity

UCSD Wisconsin
% Men 50% 47%
% Women 50% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 21% 76%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 17% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

UCSD Wisconsin
% In-State 81% 43%
% Out-of-State 8% 47%

Campus

UCSD Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 42,006 students)

UCSD vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Wisconsin?

  • University of California San Diego is 24.7% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at UCSD than University of Wisconsin Madison ($41,636.00 vs. $37,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than UCSD ($13,376 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 29.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($12,894 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Wisconsin Madison (55% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 86% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($20,782 vs. $11,171)

UCSD vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 44 points higher than at Wisconsin (1300)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of Wisconsin Madison (85% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $3,100 more per year than Wisconsin graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $64,800)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($18,500 vs. $22,250)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($191 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSD students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)

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