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USD Minnesota San Diego State UCSB UCI Michigan Illinois UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle Ohio State UC Berkeley| University of California San Diego | University of Wisconsin Madison | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSD | Wisconsin | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | Madison, WI | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 42,376 | 49,605 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #88 | #110 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | wisc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | Wisconsin | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $9,644 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $39,042 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,198 | $13,500 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,293 | $14,216 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,176 | $11,350 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 49% |
Admission |
UCSD | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 130,771 | 63,505 | ||
| Admitted | 32,062 | 27,529 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.5% | 43.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 28.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 28/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 1360/1510 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSD | Wisconsin | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
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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 | 11% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 14% | ||
| 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 | 79% | 48% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 44% | ||
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 (49,605 students vs. 42,376 students)
UCSD vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Wisconsin?
- University of California San Diego is 22.7% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $9,644.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at UCSD than University of Wisconsin Madison ($42,611.00 vs. $39,042.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Wisconsin ($13,293 vs. $14,216)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 27.4% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($13,500 vs. $17,198)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Wisconsin Madison (64% vs. 49%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 113% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($24,176 vs. $11,350)
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 (43.3%) than UCSD (24.5%)
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/