UCSD vs. UCSC

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

UCSD UCSC
Location La Jolla, CA Santa Cruz, CA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 42,006 19,478
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu ucsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSD UCSC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $41,636
Room & Board $16,710 $18,185
Avg Net Price $16,111 $17,975
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $21,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 68%

Admission

UCSD UCSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 65,912
Admitted 31,103 30,926
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 46.9%
Enrolled % 21% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 28/34 25/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1160/1360
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 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

UCSD UCSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

UCSD UCSC
Graduation Rate 85% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $19,959
Median Loan Payment $191 $206

Diversity

UCSD UCSC
% Men 50% 50%
% Women 50% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 33%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 17% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UCSD UCSC
% In-State 81% 90%
% Out-of-State 8% 7%

Campus

UCSD UCSC
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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSD vs. UCSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UCSC?

  • University of California San Diego and UCSC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at UCSD as University of California Santa Cruz ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California San Diego than UCSC ($16,111 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 8.8% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($16,710 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than University of California San Diego (68% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 2% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($21,202 vs. $20,782)

UCSD vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 143 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming UCSD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UCSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than UCSD (23.7%)

UCSD vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (85% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from University of California San Diego earn on average $17,500 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($67,900 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,459 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,959)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($191 vs. $206)
  • More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 74%)

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