CSU vs. UCSD

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

CSU UCSD
Location Chico, CA La Jolla, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 42,006
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU UCSD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $15,212 $16,710
Avg Net Price $15,517 $16,111
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $20,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 55%

Admission

CSU UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 131,197
Admitted 20,347 31,103
Acceptance Rate 95% 23.7%
Enrolled % 9.9% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 18/24 28/34
SAT Range 970/1170 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 Dec 15, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

CSU UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

CSU UCSD
Graduation Rate 59% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $191

Diversity

CSU UCSD
% Men 45% 50%
% Women 55% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 21%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 29% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 17%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

CSU UCSD
% In-State 97% 81%
% Out-of-State 2% 8%

Campus

CSU UCSD
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 San Diego is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 14,183 students)

CSU vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or UCSD?

  • University of California San Diego 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 UCSD 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 UCSD ($15,517 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 9.8% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($15,212 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Chico than University of California San Diego (62% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 126.8% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($20,782 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 341 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD 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 UCSD (23.7%)

CSU vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than California State University Chico (85% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $15,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($17,000 vs. $18,500)
  • CSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($175 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD 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/