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UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI UMass UCSD SCU UMass Dartmouth| University of California Santa Cruz | University of Massachusetts Lowell | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Lowell, MA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 16,770 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #428 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | uml.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $15,850 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $34,676 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $15,424 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $17,624 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $12,647 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 79% |
Admission |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 12,628 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 10,764 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 85.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 26/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1180/1350 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $258 |
Diversity |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 64% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 10% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | ||
| 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 Santa Cruz is larger than than University of Massachusetts-Lowell based on total student enrollment (19,764 students vs. 16,770 students)
UCSC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell?
- University of Massachusetts Lowell is 33.9% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($15,850.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.9% higher at UCSC than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($42,611.00 vs. $34,676.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Massachusetts-Lowell ($16,526 vs. $17,624)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 21.8% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($15,424 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than University of California Santa Cruz (79% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 70.5% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($21,564 vs. $12,647)
UCSC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Massachusetts-Lowell or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 4 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
- Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than UCSC (62.5%)
UCSC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell and UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (73% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $4,900 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $5,041 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($19,959 vs. $25,000)
- UCSC graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($206 vs. $258)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/