UCSD vs. Ohio State

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

UCSD Ohio State
Location La Jolla, CA Columbus, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,376 60,046
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #139
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $11,826
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $37,332
Room & Board $17,198 $14,272
Avg Net Price $13,293 $19,575
Avg Grant Aid $24,176 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 64%

Admission

UCSD Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 130,771 70,028
Admitted 32,062 35,588
Acceptance Rate 24.5% 50.8%
Enrolled % 21.8% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/34 29/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 1330/1480
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, 2024 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

UCSD Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UCSD Ohio State
Graduation Rate 85% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $191 $222

Diversity

UCSD Ohio State
% Men 11% 10%
% Women 9% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 21% 71%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 17% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

UCSD Ohio State
% In-State 79% 65%
% Out-of-State 10% 26%

Campus

UCSD Ohio State
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

  • Ohio State University is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 42,376 students)

UCSD vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Ohio State?

  • University of California San Diego is 0.1% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,826.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at UCSD than Ohio State University ($42,611.00 vs. $37,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Ohio State ($13,293 vs. $19,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University are 20.5% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($14,272 vs. $17,198)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego as Ohio State University (64% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 105% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($24,176 vs. $11,791)

UCSD vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 49 points higher than at Ohio State (1295)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than UCSD (24.5%)

UCSD vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or Ohio 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 Ohio State and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Ohio State University (85% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $17,300 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $50,600)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ohio State graduates. ($18,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Ohio State graduates. ($191 vs. $222)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 63%)

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