ASU vs. UCSD

Should I go to Arizona State University or University of California San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ASU or UCSD 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.

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Arizona State University vs. University of California San Diego comparison
Arizona State University University of California San Diego College 3 College 4
Arizona State University University of California San Diego
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Overview

ASU UCSD
Location Tempe, AZ La Jolla, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 80,065 42,006
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #389 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website asu.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ASU UCSD
Tuition (In State) $10,978 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $29,952 $41,636
Room & Board $14,718 $16,710
Avg Net Price $14,808 $16,111
Avg Grant Aid $12,381 $20,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 55%

Admission

ASU UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 68,789 131,197
Admitted 61,739 31,103
Acceptance Rate 89.8% 23.7%
Enrolled % 24.5% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 21/28 28/34
SAT Range 1100/1320 1270/1480
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, 2023

Academics

ASU UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

ASU UCSD
Graduation Rate 57% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,600 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,278 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $209 $191

Diversity

ASU UCSD
% Men 52% 50%
% Women 48% 50%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 21%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 19% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 12% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

ASU UCSD
% In-State 57% 81%
% Out-of-State 36% 8%

Campus

ASU UCSD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (80,065 students vs. 42,006 students)

ASU vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or UCSD?

  • University of California San Diego is 5.3% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $10,978.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39% higher at UCSD than Arizona State University ($41,636.00 vs. $29,952.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arizona State University than UCSD ($14,808 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arizona State University are 13.5% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,718 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than University of California San Diego (89% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 67.9% larger than aid received Arizona State University ($20,782 vs. $12,381)

ASU vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ASU or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or ASU .

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 186 points higher than at ASU (1158)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at ASU (26)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at ASU (3.54)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than UCSD (23.7%)

ASU vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ASU or UCSD? 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 UCSD and ASU.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Arizona State University (85% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $15,300 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $52,600)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,778 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($18,500 vs. $20,278)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($191 vs. $209)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 57%)

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