Pomona vs. San Diego State

Should I go to Pomona College or San Diego State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pomona or San Diego State 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. 

USD UCSD Claremont McKenna UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton HMC Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State Stanford UCSB
Pomona College vs. San Diego State University comparison
Pomona College San Diego State University College 3 College 4
Pomona College San Diego State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pomona San Diego State
Location Claremont, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,716 37,402
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #21 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pomona.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pomona San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $58,818 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $58,818 $17,622
Room & Board $19,358 $19,714
Avg Net Price $19,962 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $57,848 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 43%

Admission

Pomona San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,666 77,250
Admitted 749 30,331
Acceptance Rate 7% 39.3%
Enrolled % 55.1% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 22/29
SAT Range 1480/1560 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 8, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

Pomona San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Pomona San Diego State
Graduation Rate 95% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,500 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $113 $158

Diversity

Pomona San Diego State
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 34%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Pomona San Diego State
% In-State 24% 77%
% Out-of-State 55% 21%

Campus

Pomona San Diego State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 1,716 students)

Pomona vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pomona or San Diego State?

  • Pomona College is 924.3% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($58,818.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 233.8% higher at Pomona than San Diego State University ($58,818.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Pomona ($13,017 vs. $19,962)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pomona College are 1.8% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($19,358 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pomona College than San Diego State University (47% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 482.3% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($57,848 vs. $9,934)

Pomona vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 305 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Pomona students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Pomona (7%)

Pomona vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pomona or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than San Diego State University (95% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Pomona College earn on average $17,100 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($70,500 vs. $53,400)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $4,349 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($11,000 vs. $15,349)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($113 vs. $158)

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