UCSD vs. Purdue

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

UCSD Purdue
Location La Jolla, CA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 42,006 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,520
Room & Board $16,710 $10,030
Avg Net Price $16,111 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 48%

Admission

UCSD Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 68,582
Admitted 31,103 36,146
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 52.7%
Enrolled % 21% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 27/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

UCSD Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UCSD Purdue
Graduation Rate 85% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $191 $222

Diversity

UCSD Purdue
% Men 50% 58%
% Women 50% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 21% 65%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 17% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UCSD Purdue
% In-State 81% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 44%

Campus

UCSD Purdue
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

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 42,006 students)

UCSD vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Purdue?

  • University of California San Diego is 19% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46% higher at UCSD than Purdue University Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UCSD ($12,576 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 66.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($10,030 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than Purdue University Main Campus (55% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 132.2% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($20,782 vs. $8,950)

UCSD vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 113 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or Purdue? 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 Purdue and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (85% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $6,700 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $61,200)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($18,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($191 vs. $222)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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