UCSD vs. San Jose State

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

 UCSD San Jose State
Location La Jolla, CA San Jose, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 42,006 35,751
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #558
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu sjsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD San Jose State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $17,622
Room & Board $16,710 $18,568
Avg Net Price $16,111 $14,219
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $9,210
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 59%

Admission

 UCSD San Jose State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 34,002
Admitted 31,103 26,083
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 76.7%
Enrolled % 21% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.35
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 28/34 19/26
SAT Range 1270/1480 1010/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Dec 15, 2023

Academics

 UCSD San Jose State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

 UCSD San Jose State
Graduation Rate 85% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $59,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $191 $155

Diversity

 UCSD San Jose State
% Men 50% 48%
% Women 50% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 19%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 26%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 17% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 UCSD San Jose State
% In-State 81% 96%
% Out-of-State 8% 1%

Campus

 UCSD San Jose 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

  • University of California San Diego is larger than than San Jose State based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 35,751 students)

UCSD vs. San Jose State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or San Jose State?

  • University of California San Diego is 101.4% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UCSD than San Jose State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than UCSD ($14,219 vs. $16,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 11.1% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($16,710 vs. $18,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Jose State University than University of California San Diego (59% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California San Diego students is 125.6% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($20,782 vs. $9,210)

UCSD vs. San Jose State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 289 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. San Jose State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSD or San Jose 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 San Jose State and UCSD.

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than San Jose State University (85% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $8,000 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $59,900)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($15,000 vs. $18,500)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($155 vs. $191)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 73%)

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