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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 | University of Nevada Reno | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Reno, NV | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,764 | 21,778 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #251 | #400 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | unr.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $7,876 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $24,832 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,785 | $13,700 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,526 | $16,801 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,564 | $6,658 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 92% |
Admission |
UCSC | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 68,845 | 10,142 | ||
| Admitted | 43,054 | 8,652 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.5% | 85.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.2% | 39.5% | ||
| 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, 2025 | Apr 7, 2026 |
Academics |
UCSC | University of Nevada-Reno | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 16:1 | ||
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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 | 5% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 11% | ||
| 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 | 91% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 24% | ||
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 (21,778 students vs. 19,764 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 50.3% more expensive to attend than University of Nevada-Reno for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $7,876.00)
- Out of state tuition is 71.6% higher at UCSC than University of Nevada Reno ($42,611.00 vs. $24,832.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Nevada-Reno ($16,526 vs. $16,801)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Reno are 37.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($13,700 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Reno than University of California Santa Cruz (92% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 223.9% larger than aid received University of Nevada Reno ($21,564 vs. $6,658)
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 (85.3%) than UCSC (62.5%)
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/