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JMU UC Riverside VCU UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly Virginia Tech CNU San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI| University of California Santa Cruz | George Mason University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | Mason | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Fairfax, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 39,527 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #239 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | gmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | Mason | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $10,095 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $35,677 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $15,151 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $18,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $11,311 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 72% |
Admission |
UCSC | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 22,579 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 20,057 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 88.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 22.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1140/1340 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSC | Mason | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | Mason | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $61,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $19,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $204 |
Diversity |
UCSC | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 43% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
UCSC | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 16% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | Mason | ||
| 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
- George Mason University is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (39,527 students vs. 19,764 students)
UCSC vs. Mason Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Mason?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 17.2% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $10,095.00)
- Out of state tuition is 19.4% higher at UCSC than George Mason University ($42,611.00 vs. $35,677.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Mason ($16,526 vs. $18,900)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 24% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($15,151 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than University of California Santa Cruz (72% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 90.6% larger than aid received George Mason University ($21,564 vs. $11,311)
UCSC vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 48 points higher than at Mason (1153)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Mason (26)
- Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- Mason has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than UCSC (62.5%)
UCSC vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or Mason? 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 Mason and UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than George Mason University (73% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $11,500 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $50,400)
- George Mason University students graduate with a $209 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,750 vs. $19,959)
- Mason graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($204 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/