UCSD vs. UNC Chapel Hill

Should I go to University of California San Diego or University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD or UNC Chapel Hill 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 San Diego State UCSB UCI NC State UCLA UVA UNC Charlotte UC Davis Duke Michigan UW-Seattle
University of California San Diego vs. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comparison
University of California San Diego University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
Location La Jolla, CA Chapel Hill, NC
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 42,006 31,705
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #64
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu unc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $7,019
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $35,580
Room & Board $16,710 $12,254
Avg Net Price $16,111 $10,614
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $18,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 40%

Admission

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 56,341
Admitted 31,103 9,639
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 17.1%
Enrolled % 21% 46%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 28/34 30/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1350/1530
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
Graduation Rate 85% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $66,100
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $16,479
Median Loan Payment $191 $170

Diversity

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
% Men 50% 40%
% Women 50% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 21% 64%
% Black 1% 8%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 17% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

UCSD UNC Chapel Hill
% In-State 81% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 31,705 students)

UCSD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UNC Chapel Hill?

  • University of California San Diego is 64.8% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17% higher at UCSD than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($41,636.00 vs. $35,580.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than UCSD ($10,614 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 36.4% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($12,254 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (55% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 15% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($20,782 vs. $18,066)

UCSD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 1 points higher than at UNC Chapel Hill (1343)
  • Incoming UCSD students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at UNC Chapel Hill (31)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Chapel Hill students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (23.7%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

UCSD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or UNC Chapel Hill? 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 UNC Chapel Hill and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than University of California San Diego (89% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $1,800 more per year than UNC Chapel Hill graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $66,100)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $2,021 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($16,479 vs. $18,500)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($170 vs. $191)
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSD students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 82%)

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