UCSD vs. Rutgers

Should I go to University of California San Diego or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCSD or Rutgers 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

NJIT USD San Diego State UCSB TCNJ UCI UCLA Penn State Seton Hall University UC Davis UW-Seattle Rutgers University-Camden
University of California San Diego vs. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
University of California San Diego Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
University of California San Diego Rutgers University New Brunswick
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCSD Rutgers
Location La Jolla, CA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 42,006 50,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $30,600
Room & Board $16,710 $13,909
Avg Net Price $16,111 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 57%

Admission

 UCSD Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 41,654
Admitted 31,103 27,612
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 66.3%
Enrolled % 21% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 28/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1270/1480
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, 2023

Academics

 UCSD Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 UCSD Rutgers
Graduation Rate 85% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $191 $229

Diversity

 UCSD Rutgers
% Men 50% 46%
% Women 50% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 42%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 16% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 17% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UCSD Rutgers
% In-State 81% 85%
% Out-of-State 8% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than UCSD based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 42,006 students)

UCSD vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or Rutgers?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 11.6% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.1% higher at UCSD than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($41,636.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than Rutgers ($16,111 vs. $17,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 20.1% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($13,909 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than University of California San Diego (57% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 62.5% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($20,782 vs. $12,785)

UCSD vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 119 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (85% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $1,700 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $66,200)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $3,715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($18,500 vs. $22,215)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($191 vs. $229)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 68%)

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