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USD UCSD UC Riverside Loyola Cal State Fullerton IIT Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB Northern Illinois| University of Illinois at Chicago | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,522 | 39,241 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #198 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uic.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,178 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,200 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,600 | $21,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,499 | $19,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,421 | $5,459 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 94% |
Admission |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 25,420 | 82,800 | ||
| Admitted | 19,955 | 28,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 34.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.3% | 21.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 25/32 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1120/1340 | 1090/1300 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,900 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,750 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $158 |
Diversity |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
UIC | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 89% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 4% | 23% | ||
Campus |
UIC | San Diego 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
- San Diego State University is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 33,522 students)
UIC vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UIC or San Diego State?
- University of Illinois at Chicago is 94.7% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 48.7% higher at UIC than San Diego State University ($26,200.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than San Diego State ($11,499 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Chicago are 48.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($14,600 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of Illinois at Chicago (94% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 182.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($15,421 vs. $5,459)
UIC vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UIC or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or UIC .
- The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 38 points higher than at UIC (1092)
- Incoming San Diego State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UIC (24)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UIC (3.41)
- UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
UIC vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UIC or San Diego 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 Diego State and UIC.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (66% vs. 54%)
- Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $8,500 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $3,401 lower median federal student loan debt than UIC graduates. ($15,349 vs. $18,750)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than UIC graduates. ($158 vs. $193)
- More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/