CSU vs. UC Davis

Should I go to California State University Chico or University of California Davis? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or UC Davis 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. University of California Davis comparison
California State University Chico University of California Davis College 3 College 4
California State University Chico University of California Davis
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Overview

 CSU UC Davis
Location Chico, CA Davis, CA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 14,183 39,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #92
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu ucdavis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU UC Davis
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $15,212 $17,692
Avg Net Price $15,517 $17,385
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $20,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 57%

Admission

 CSU UC Davis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 94,747
Admitted 20,347 35,377
Acceptance Rate 95% 37.3%
Enrolled % 9.9% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 18/24 25/33
SAT Range 970/1170 1160/1400
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 UC Davis
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)

Outcomes

 CSU UC Davis
Graduation Rate 59% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $65,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $14,676
Median Loan Payment $175 $151

Diversity

 CSU UC Davis
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 28%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 29% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 CSU UC Davis
% In-State 97% 75%
% Out-of-State 2% 7%

Campus

 CSU UC Davis
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

  • University of California Davis is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (39,679 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. UC Davis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or UC Davis?

  • University of California Davis is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Davis than California State University Chico ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than UC Davis ($15,517 vs. $17,385)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 16.3% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($15,212 vs. $17,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than University of California Davis (62% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 124.3% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($20,548 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. UC Davis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Davis (1226) is 223 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than UC Davis (37.3%)

CSU vs. UC Davis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or UC Davis? 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 UC Davis and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than California State University Chico (82% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $12,800 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $52,400)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $2,324 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($14,676 vs. $17,000)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($151 vs. $175)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 70%)

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