San Diego State vs. Stanford

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

San Diego State Stanford
Location San Diego, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 37,402 18,283
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State Stanford
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $57,693
Room & Board $19,714 $18,619
Avg Net Price $13,017 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 53%

Admission

San Diego State Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 56,378
Admitted 30,331 2,075
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 3.7%
Enrolled % 21.7% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 22/29 33/35
SAT Range 1090/1300 1500/1580
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 2, 2024

Academics

San Diego State Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

San Diego State Stanford
Graduation Rate 66% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $158 $128

Diversity

San Diego State Stanford
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 37%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 31% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 10%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

San Diego State Stanford
% In-State 77% 35%
% Out-of-State 21% 48%

Campus

San Diego State Stanford
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Stanford based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 18,283 students)

San Diego State vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

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

  • Stanford University is 904.8% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.4% higher at Stanford than San Diego State University ($57,693.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Stanford ($13,017 vs. $18,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stanford University are 5.9% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,619 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than San Diego State University (53% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 510.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($60,619 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 349 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Stanford (3.7%)

San Diego State vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than San Diego State University (96% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $69,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $53,400)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $2,874 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($12,475 vs. $15,349)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($128 vs. $158)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 65%)

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