CSU vs. San Diego State

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

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

CSU San Diego State
Location Chico, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 37,402
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #337
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu sdsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU San Diego State
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $15,212 $19,714
Avg Net Price $15,517 $13,017
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 43%

Admission

CSU San Diego State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 77,250
Admitted 20,347 30,331
Acceptance Rate 95% 39.3%
Enrolled % 9.9% 21.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 18/24 22/29
SAT Range 970/1170 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

CSU San Diego State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

CSU San Diego State
Graduation Rate 59% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $15,349
Median Loan Payment $175 $158

Diversity

CSU San Diego State
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 34%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 29% 31%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

CSU San Diego State
% In-State 97% 77%
% Out-of-State 2% 21%

Campus

CSU San Diego State
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

  • San Diego State University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University Chico and San Diego State cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU as San Diego State University ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than CSU ($13,017 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 29.6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($15,212 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than San Diego State University (62% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 8.4% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($9,934 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU 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 CSU .

  • The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 127 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

CSU vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than California State University Chico (66% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $52,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $1,651 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $17,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($158 vs. $175)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 65%)

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