UCSC vs. University of Nevada-Reno

Should I go to University of California Santa Cruz or University of Nevada Reno? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSC or University of Nevada-Reno 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI UNLV UCSD SCU Cal State Long Beach
University of California Santa Cruz vs. University of Nevada Reno comparison
University of California Santa Cruz University of Nevada Reno College 3 College 4
University of California Santa Cruz University of Nevada Reno
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
Location Santa Cruz, CA Reno, NV
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 19,478 20,945
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #443
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu unr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $8,133
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $24,687
Room & Board $18,185 $13,796
Avg Net Price $17,975 $16,670
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $7,829
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 92%

Admission

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 9,398
Admitted 30,926 8,047
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 85.6%
Enrolled % 12.5% 41%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 20/26
SAT Range 1160/1360 1060/1270
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 7, 2025

Academics

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
Graduation Rate 73% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $18,801
Median Loan Payment $206 $194

Diversity

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
% Men 50% 46%
% Women 50% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 60%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 31% 19%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
% In-State 90% 76%
% Out-of-State 7% 23%

Campus

UCSC University of Nevada-Reno
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 Nevada Reno is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (20,945 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. University of Nevada-Reno Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or University of Nevada-Reno?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 42.2% more expensive to attend than University of Nevada-Reno for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $8,133.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.7% higher at UCSC than University of Nevada Reno ($41,636.00 vs. $24,687.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Reno than UCSC ($16,670 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Reno are 31.8% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($13,796 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Reno than University of California Santa Cruz (92% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 170.8% larger than aid received University of Nevada Reno ($21,202 vs. $7,829)

UCSC vs. University of Nevada-Reno Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 117 points higher than at University of Nevada-Reno (1084)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at University of Nevada-Reno (24)
  • Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at University of Nevada-Reno (3.4)
  • University of Nevada-Reno has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. University of Nevada-Reno Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or University of Nevada-Reno? 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 Nevada-Reno and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Nevada Reno (73% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from University of Nevada Reno earn on average $3,000 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $50,400)
  • University of Nevada Reno students graduate with a $1,158 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($18,801 vs. $19,959)
  • University of Nevada-Reno graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($194 vs. $206)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Nevada-Reno students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)

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