Alabama vs. UCSC

Should I go to The University of Alabama or University of California Santa Cruz? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alabama or UCSC 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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The University of Alabama vs. University of California Santa Cruz comparison
The University of Alabama University of California Santa Cruz College 3 College 4
The University of Alabama University of California Santa Cruz
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Overview

Alabama UCSC
Location Tuscaloosa, AL Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 38,644 19,478
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama UCSC
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $41,636
Room & Board $14,426 $18,185
Avg Net Price $20,592 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 68%

Admission

Alabama UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 65,912
Admitted 43,290 30,926
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 46.9%
Enrolled % 18.6% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 25/33
SAT Range 1130/1410 1160/1360
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

Alabama UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

Alabama UCSC
Graduation Rate 66% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $245 $206

Diversity

Alabama UCSC
% Men 43% 50%
% Women 57% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 33%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Alabama UCSC
% In-State 35% 90%
% Out-of-State 64% 7%

Campus

Alabama UCSC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (38,644 students vs. 19,478 students)

Alabama vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or UCSC?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Alabama for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at UCSC than The University of Alabama ($41,636.00 vs. $31,460.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Alabama ($17,975 vs. $20,592)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Alabama are 26.1% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($14,426 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than University of California Santa Cruz (82% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 35.2% larger than aid received The University of Alabama ($21,202 vs. $15,683)

Alabama vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 20 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Alabama (27)
  • Accepted freshman Alabama students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than UCSC (46.9%)

Alabama vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or UCSC? 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 UCSC and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than The University of Alabama (73% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $500 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $49,900)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $3,791 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($19,959 vs. $23,750)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($206 vs. $245)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 59%)

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