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UofSC Georgia NC State UC Riverside Auburn UCSB Virginia Tech Florida UC Davis Cal Poly Tennessee CofC| University of California Santa Cruz | Clemson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Clemson, SC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 28,747 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #130 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | clemson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $14,038 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $37,982 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $12,872 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $24,408 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $10,599 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 74% |
Admission |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 60,122 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 22,879 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 38.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 19.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 28/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1230/1390 | ||
| 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 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 80% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $57,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $222 |
Diversity |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 48% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | Clemson | ||
| 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
- Clemson University is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (28,747 students vs. 19,764 students)
UCSC vs. Clemson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Clemson?
- Clemson University is 18.6% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($14,038.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.2% higher at UCSC than Clemson University ($42,611.00 vs. $37,982.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Clemson ($16,526 vs. $24,408)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 45.9% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,872 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Clemson University than University of California Santa Cruz (74% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 103.5% larger than aid received Clemson University ($21,564 vs. $10,599)
UCSC vs. Clemson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Clemson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Clemson or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at Clemson University (1275) is 74 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming Clemson students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCSC (28)
- Accepted freshman Clemson students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (62.5%) than Clemson (38.1%)
UCSC vs. Clemson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or Clemson? 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 Clemson and UCSC.
- The graduation rate at Clemson is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (80% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from Clemson University earn on average $6,700 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($57,100 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $1,541 lower median federal student loan debt than Clemson graduates. ($19,959 vs. $21,500)
- UCSC graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Clemson graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
- More Clemson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/