UCSD vs. UVA

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

 UCSD UVA
Location La Jolla, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 42,006 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #89 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsd.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSD UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $51,870
Room & Board $16,710 $12,890
Avg Net Price $16,111 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $20,782 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 34%

Admission

 UCSD UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 131,197 50,926
Admitted 31,103 9,503
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 18.7%
Enrolled % 21% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 28/34 32/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1400/1540
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 UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (23%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UCSD UVA
Graduation Rate 85% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $67,900 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $191 $201

Diversity

 UCSD UVA
% Men 50% 45%
% Women 50% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 21% 60%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 17% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

 UCSD UVA
% In-State 81% 62%
% Out-of-State 8% 33%

Campus

 UCSD UVA
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 UVA based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 26,082 students)

UCSD vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 46.8% more expensive to attend than UCSD for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.6% higher at UVA than University of California San Diego ($51,870.00 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 UVA ($16,111 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 29.6% lower than costs at University of California San Diego ($12,890 vs. $16,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than University of Virginia Main Campus (55% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 29% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($26,818 vs. $20,782)

UCSD vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 20 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
  • Incoming UCSD students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UCSD (3.82)
  • UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (23.7%) than UVA (18.7%)

UCSD vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of California San Diego (94% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $9,300 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $67,900)
  • University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,500)
  • UCSD graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($191 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSD students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)

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