UCSC vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA with University of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Santa Cruz is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (19,938 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, CA (Small City setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• University of California Santa Cruz is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Santa Cruz 22:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

UCSC vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or USD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than USD ($18,059 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 0.2% lower than at University of California Santa Cruz ($19,918 vs. $19,948).
• University of San Diego is 271.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCSC (about $43,481 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $16,005.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at USD than at University of California Santa Cruz (about $9,281 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $50,205.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at University of California Santa Cruz (84% vs. 57%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 79.9% larger than aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students ($40,965 vs. $22,774).

UCSC vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or USD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between USD and UCSC.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Santa Cruz 1160/1360.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Santa Cruz 25/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCSC - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCSC Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at UCSC (3.63).
• UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (65.8%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at UCSC vs. 12.4% at USD.

UCSC vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UCSC and USD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than University of California Santa Cruz's (73%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $19,800 more per year than UCSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $50,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Santa Cruz graduates have a $2,945 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($19,959 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, UCSC graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($206 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.