San Diego State vs. LSU

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

San Diego State LSU
Location San Diego, CA Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 37,402 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State LSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $8,038
Room & Board $19,714 $13,956
Avg Net Price $13,017 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 98%

Admission

San Diego State LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 38,853
Admitted 30,331 29,419
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 75.7%
Enrolled % 21.7% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1300 1140/1320
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 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

San Diego State LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State LSU
Graduation Rate 66% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $158 $216

Diversity

San Diego State LSU
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 73%
% Black 4% 12%
% Hispanic 31% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

San Diego State LSU
% In-State 77% 65%
% Out-of-State 21% 34%

Campus

San Diego State LSU
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 LSU based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 37,348 students)

San Diego State vs. LSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Louisiana State University is 40% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($8,038.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 119.2% higher at San Diego State than Louisiana State University ($17,622.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than LSU ($13,017 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 41.3% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($13,956 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than San Diego State University (98% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 24.6% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($12,374 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 33 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at LSU (3.77)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Louisiana State University (66% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $3,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $5,551 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $20,900)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($158 vs. $216)
  • More LSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 65%)

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