UCSD vs. Virginia Tech

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

UCSD Virginia Tech
Location La Jolla, CA Blacksburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 42,006 38,170
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $31,754
Room & Board $16,710 $12,680
Avg Net Price $16,111 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 57%

Admission

UCSD Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 45,321
Admitted 31,103 25,825
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 57%
Enrolled % 21% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.97
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 27/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 1240/1430
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 Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 85% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $191 $247

Diversity

UCSD Virginia Tech
% Men 50% 57%
% Women 50% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 21% 68%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 17% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

UCSD Virginia Tech
% In-State 81% 64%
% Out-of-State 8% 32%

Campus

UCSD Virginia Tech
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 Virginia Tech based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 38,170 students)

UCSD vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Virginia Tech?

  • Virginia Tech is 4.7% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($12,104.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.1% higher at UCSD than Virginia Tech ($41,636.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Virginia Tech ($16,111 vs. $19,301)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 31.8% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($12,680 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than University of California San Diego (57% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 171.7% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($20,782 vs. $7,649)

UCSD vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 134 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Virginia Tech (85% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $2,900 more per year than Virginia Tech graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $65,000)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $5,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($18,500 vs. $23,966)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($191 vs. $247)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Virginia Tech 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/