UCSC vs. Humboldt State University

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or Humboldt State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC or Humboldt State University 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 Santa Cruz vs. Humboldt State University comparison
University of California Santa Cruz Humboldt State University College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz Humboldt State University
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Overview

UCSC Humboldt State University
Location Santa Cruz, CA Arcata, CA
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 19,478 6,025
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #831
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu humboldt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC Humboldt State University
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $18,185 $12,540
Avg Net Price $17,975 $14,325
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $9,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 66%

Admission

UCSC Humboldt State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 8,505
Admitted 30,926 8,350
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 98.2%
Enrolled % 12.5% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 17/25
SAT Range 1160/1360 970/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Apr 30, 2025

Academics

UCSC Humboldt State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

UCSC Humboldt State University
Graduation Rate 73% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $206 $201

Diversity

UCSC Humboldt State University
% Men 50% 42%
% Women 50% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 45%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 31% 33%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

UCSC Humboldt State University
% In-State 90% 91%
% Out-of-State 7% 8%

Campus

UCSC Humboldt State University
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 California Santa Cruz is larger than than Humboldt State University based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 6,025 students)

UCSC vs. Humboldt State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Humboldt State University?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Humboldt State University for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSC than Humboldt State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Humboldt State University than UCSC ($14,325 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Humboldt State University are 45% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,540 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than Humboldt State University (68% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 128.9% larger than aid received Humboldt State University ($21,202 vs. $9,262)

UCSC vs. Humboldt State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 211 points higher than at Humboldt State University (990)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Humboldt State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Humboldt State University (3.33)
  • Humboldt State University has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Humboldt State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or Humboldt State University? 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 Humboldt State University and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than Humboldt State University (73% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $11,400 more per year than Humboldt State University graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $39,000)
  • Humboldt State University students graduate with a $459 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,959)
  • Humboldt State University graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($201 vs. $206)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Humboldt State University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 56%)

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