UCI vs. UCSD

Should I go to University of California Irvine or University of California San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

USD San Diego State UCSB UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue UCSC Michigan UT Austin
University of California Irvine vs. University of California San Diego comparison
University of California Irvine University of California San Diego College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine University of California San Diego
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCI UCSD
Location Irvine, CA La Jolla, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 35,937 42,006
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu ucsd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI UCSD
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $17,699 $16,710
Avg Net Price $14,033 $16,111
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $20,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 55%

Admission

UCI UCSD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 131,197
Admitted 25,212 31,103
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 23.7%
Enrolled % 22.5% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.82
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 26/33 28/34
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 Nov 30, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

UCI UCSD
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UCI UCSD
Graduation Rate 85% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $67,900
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $191

Diversity

UCI UCSD
% Men 45% 50%
% Women 55% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 21%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 25% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 16% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UCI UCSD
% In-State 81% 81%
% Out-of-State 7% 8%

Campus

UCI 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 UCI based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 35,937 students)

UCI vs. UCSD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or UCSD?

  • University of California Irvine and UCSD cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at UCI as University of California San Diego ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than UCSD ($14,033 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 5.9% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($16,710 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of California San Diego (80% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 19.4% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($20,782 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 169 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCI (3.75)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (23.7%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is the same as at University of California San Diego (85% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $6,100 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $61,800)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($17,000 vs. $18,500)
  • UCI 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 UCI students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

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