UCSC vs. Mason

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

 UCSC Mason
Location Santa Cruz, CA Fairfax, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,478 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC Mason
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $35,377
Room & Board $18,185 $13,120
Avg Net Price $17,975 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 74%

Admission

 UCSC Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 20,001
Admitted 30,926 18,001
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 90%
Enrolled % 12.5% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 25/31
SAT Range 1160/1360 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 UCSC Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 UCSC Mason
Graduation Rate 73% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $206 $204

Diversity

 UCSC Mason
% Men 50% 48%
% Women 50% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 43%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 31% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 UCSC Mason
% In-State 90% 77%
% Out-of-State 7% 17%

Campus

 UCSC Mason
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

  • George Mason University is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Mason?

  • University of California Santa Cruz is 18.1% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at UCSC than George Mason University ($41,636.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Mason ($17,975 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 38.6% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($13,120 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than University of California Santa Cruz (74% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 97% larger than aid received George Mason University ($21,202 vs. $10,760)

UCSC vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 48 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than George Mason University (73% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $11,500 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $50,400)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $209 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,750 vs. $19,959)
  • Mason graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($204 vs. $206)
  • More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

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