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USD UCSD UC Riverside UCSB Cal State Fullerton UC Davis Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach San Jose State UC Merced San Francisco State UCI| University of California Santa Cruz | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 39,241 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $21,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $19,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $5,459 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 94% |
Admission |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 82,800 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 28,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 34.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 21.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1090/1300 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $158 |
Diversity |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 7% | ||
| % International | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 23% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | San Diego State | ||
| 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
- San Diego State University is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 19,764 students)
UCSC vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or San Diego State?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UCSC than San Diego State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than San Diego State ($16,526 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Cruz are 15.1% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,785 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of California Santa Cruz (94% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 295% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($21,564 vs. $5,459)
UCSC vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 71 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (62.5%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
UCSC vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than San Diego State University (73% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $3,000 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $50,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $4,610 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($15,349 vs. $19,959)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($158 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/