San Diego State vs. UCF

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

San Diego State UCF
Location San Diego, CA Orlando, FL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 37,402 68,346
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #379
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu ucf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State UCF
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,478
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $19,810
Room & Board $19,714 $11,498
Avg Net Price $13,017 $13,108
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $9,986
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 93%

Admission

San Diego State UCF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 54,977
Admitted 30,331 22,560
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 41%
Enrolled % 21.7% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.64
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29 25/29
SAT Range 1090/1300 1200/1360
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 May 1, 2024

Academics

San Diego State UCF
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 29:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

San Diego State UCF
Graduation Rate 66% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $18,270
Median Loan Payment $158 $188

Diversity

San Diego State UCF
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 53%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 31% 24%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State UCF
% In-State 77% 91%
% Out-of-State 21% 9%

Campus

San Diego State UCF
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 Central Florida is larger than than San Diego State based on total student enrollment (68,346 students vs. 37,402 students)

San Diego State vs. UCF Cost Comparison

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

  • San Diego State University is 28.2% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.4% higher at UCF than San Diego State University ($19,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than UCF ($13,017 vs. $13,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 71.5% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($11,498 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than San Diego State University (93% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Florida students is 0.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($9,986 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. UCF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 49 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming UCF 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 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • UCF has a higher acceptance rate (41%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. UCF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of Central Florida (66% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $4,500 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $48,900)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $2,921 lower median federal student loan debt than UCF graduates. ($15,349 vs. $18,270)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than UCF graduates. ($158 vs. $188)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 59%)

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