UCSC vs. Westmont College

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

 UCSC Westmont College
Location Santa Cruz, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 19,478 1,284
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #146
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu westmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCSC Westmont College
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $48,840
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $48,840
Room & Board $18,185 $15,760
Avg Net Price $17,975 $33,112
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $33,900
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 97%

Admission

 UCSC Westmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 2,326
Admitted 30,926 1,907
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 82%
Enrolled % 12.5% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/33 30/33
SAT Range 1160/1360 1280/1458
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

 UCSC Westmont College
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 UCSC Westmont College
Graduation Rate 73% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $25,123
Median Loan Payment $206 $259

Diversity

 UCSC Westmont College
% Men 50% 39%
% Women 50% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 64%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 31% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 UCSC Westmont College
% In-State 90% 65%
% Out-of-State 7% 33%

Campus

 UCSC Westmont College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Santa Cruz is larger than than Westmont College based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 1,284 students)

UCSC vs. Westmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Westmont College?

  • Westmont College is 322.3% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($48,840.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at Westmont College than University of California Santa Cruz ($48,840.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Westmont College ($17,975 vs. $33,112)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westmont College are 15.4% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($15,760 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westmont College than University of California Santa Cruz (97% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westmont College students is 59.9% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($33,900 vs. $21,202)

UCSC vs. Westmont College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 22 points higher than at Westmont College (1179)
  • Incoming UCSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Westmont College (26)
  • Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Westmont College (3.59)
  • Westmont College has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. Westmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC or Westmont College? 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 Westmont College and UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at Westmont College is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (77% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Westmont College earn on average $4,200 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $5,164 lower median federal student loan debt than Westmont College graduates. ($19,959 vs. $25,123)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Westmont College graduates. ($206 vs. $259)
  • More Westmont College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 74%)

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