UCSD vs. NC State

Should I go to University of California San Diego or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD or NC State 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 San Diego vs. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
University of California San Diego North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

 UCSD NC State
Location La Jolla, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,006 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $16,710 $12,748
Avg Net Price $16,111 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 71%

Admission

 UCSD NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 35,568
Admitted 31,103 16,779
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 47.2%
Enrolled % 21% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 28/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1280/1460
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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 UCSD NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 UCSD NC State
Graduation Rate 85% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $191 $214

Diversity

 UCSD NC State
% Men 50% 51%
% Women 50% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 21% 74%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 17% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UCSD NC State
% In-State 81% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 14%

Campus

 UCSD NC State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 36,700 students)

UCSD vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or NC State?

  • University of California San Diego is 77% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.2% higher at UCSD than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($41,636.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than UCSD ($14,852 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 31.1% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($12,748 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of California San Diego (71% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 126.4% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($20,782 vs. $9,181)

UCSD vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 80 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or NC State? 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 NC State and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (85% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $10,700 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $57,200)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $2,282 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($18,500 vs. $20,782)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($191 vs. $214)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State 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/