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UCLA UCSD UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UC Berkeley SCU ASU| University of California Irvine | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCI | UCSC | ||
| Location | Irvine, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 35,937 | 19,478 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #91 | #222 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uci.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCI | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $11,564 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,699 | $18,185 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,033 | $17,975 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $17,411 | $21,202 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 68% |
Admission |
UCI | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 119,191 | 65,912 | ||
| Admitted | 25,212 | 30,926 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 21.2% | 46.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.5% | 12.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.75 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/33 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1430 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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 | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCI | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,800 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $206 |
Diversity |
UCI | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 15% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 16% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
UCI | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 81% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 7% | ||
Campus |
UCI | UCSC | ||
| 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 Irvine is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (35,937 students vs. 19,478 students)
UCI vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCI or UCSC?
- University of California Irvine and UCSC 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 Santa Cruz ($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 UCSC ($14,033 vs. $17,975)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 2.7% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($17,699 vs. $18,185)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of California Santa Cruz (80% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 21.8% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($21,202 vs. $17,411)
UCI vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCI or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or UCI .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 26 points higher than at UCI (1175)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UCI (27)
- Accepted freshman UCI students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than UCI (21.2%)
UCI vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.
- The graduation rate at UCI is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (85% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $11,400 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Irvine students graduate with a $2,959 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,959)
- UCI graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($175 vs. $206)
- More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/