UC Riverside vs. Mason

Should I go to University of California Riverside or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Riverside or Mason 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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University of California Riverside vs. George Mason University comparison
University of California Riverside George Mason University College 3 College 4
University of California Riverside George Mason University
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Overview

 UC Riverside Mason
Location Riverside, CA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 26,809 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Riverside Mason
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $35,377
Room & Board $17,333 $13,120
Avg Net Price $14,487 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 74%

Admission

 UC Riverside Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 20,001
Admitted 37,563 18,001
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 90%
Enrolled % 14.8% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 25/31
SAT Range 1080/1280 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 UC Riverside Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 UC Riverside Mason
Graduation Rate 67% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $197 $204

Diversity

 UC Riverside Mason
% Men 49% 48%
% Women 51% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 13% 43%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 36% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 UC Riverside Mason
% In-State 94% 77%
% Out-of-State 2% 17%

Campus

 UC Riverside Mason
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

  • George Mason University is larger than than UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 26,809 students)

UC Riverside vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or Mason?

  • University of California Riverside is 18.1% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at UC Riverside than George Mason University ($41,636.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than Mason ($14,487 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 32.1% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($13,120 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than George Mason University (75% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 104.9% larger than aid received George Mason University ($22,042 vs. $10,760)

UC Riverside vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 34 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside or Mason? 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 Mason and UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than George Mason University (67% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $9,700 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $52,200)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $641 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($19,109 vs. $19,750)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($197 vs. $204)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 65%)

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