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Everything we have for U. California-San Diego and San Diego State, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
Every row, including ones where these colleges match.
| Metric | U. California-San Diego | San Diego State |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2024 | Fall 2025Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate | 27% | 37%Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 23% / 30% | 34% / 38% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | 25% / 40% / 31%Fall 2025 | 31% / 91% / 59%Fall 2025 |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | 25% / 9.7% / 19%Fall 2025 | 20% / 17% / 15%Fall 2025 |
| Applicants | 134,450 | 95,444Fall 2025 |
| Admitted | 35,917 | 35,709Fall 2025 |
| Enrolled | 7,330 | 6,911Fall 2025 |
| Yield | 20% | 19%Fall 2025 |
| SAT middle 50% | – | – |
| ACT middle 50% | – | – |
| Sent an SAT | – | – |
| Sent an ACT | – | – |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | – | – |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | – | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | Very importantFall 2025 | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Essay | Very importantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Legacy status | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Work experience | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | 3.88Fall 2025 | 3.82Fall 2025 |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | 100% (of the 96% with a rank)Fall 2025 | 25% (of the 29% with a rank)Fall 2025 |
| Early decision | Not offered2025–26 | Offered; no counts2025–26 |
| Early action | Not offered2025–26 | Offered2025–26 |
| Wait list | 5,284 admitted of 25,411 who acceptedFall 2025 | 962 admitted of 6,016 who acceptedFall 2025 |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | Very importantFall 2025 | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Test scores | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Interview | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | ImportantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Talent or ability | ImportantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | ImportantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: First generation | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Geographic residence | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: State residency | ImportantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Volunteer work | ImportantFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | Not consideredFall 2025 | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Test policy | Test-blindFall 2027 applicants | Test-blind |
| Application fee | $80 | $70 |
| Deadlines & deposit | Apply by November 30 · reply by May 1 · $450 housing depositFall 2026 cycle | Apply by November 30 · $375 housing depositFall 2026 cycle |
| Gap year allowed | NoFall 2026 cycle | YesFall 2026 cycle |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 53%Fall 2025 | 55%Fall 2025 |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | City: Large | City: Large |
| Carnegie class | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large |
| Research activity | R1: very high research | R1: very high research |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings | Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | Land-grant | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | Hispanic-Serving, AANAPISI | Hispanic-Serving, AANAPISI |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division I, no football | Division I FBS |
| Conference | Big West Conference | Mountain West Conference |
| ROTC | Not listed | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Quarters | Semesters |
| Undergrads | 34,948 | 35,377 |
| Beds in college housing | 19,711 | 8,664 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | 8.0%Fall 2025 | 11%Fall 2025 |
| Women in a sorority | 7.0%Fall 2025 | 12%Fall 2025 |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | – | Offered2025–26 |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 34% | 32% |
| First-gen | 40% | 41% |
| Men / women | 45% / 55% | 43% / 57% |
| Part-time students | 2% | 9% |
| Students 25 and older | 4% | 12% |
| First-years from in state | 78% | 74% |
| First-years from other states | 9% | 23% |
| First-years from abroad | 13% | 2% |
| New transfer students this fall | 3,751 | 4,620 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 34% | 41% |
| Diversity index | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 | 27 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | 35%Fall 2025 | 25%Fall 2025 |
| Full-time faculty share | 88% | 50% |
| Average faculty salary | $172,028 | $117,223 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 9,717 | 9,105 |
| Most popular majors | Cognitive Science, General 9% · Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 6% · Anatomy 6% | Business Administration and Management, General 24% · Psychology, General 8% · Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 6% |
| Instruction spending per student | $26,067 (public, GASB accounting) | $8,619 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $35,348 (public, GASB accounting) | $12,937 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 17% | 32% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $29,689 | $31,319 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 34% | 15% |
| Net price, students with grants | $14,047 | $14,704 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $38,505 | $34,072 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $69,282 | $45,952 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $15,265 | $8,290 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $46,042 | $20,170 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | 21% | 25% |
| First-years with grants | 59% | 47% |
| Average grant | $25,757 | $12,053 |
| Aid from the college | 54% | 27% |
| Need-based aid up to | Little need-based aid above $110K | Little need-based aid above $110K |
| Merit for students without need | 5.3% got merit aid, averaging $13K | – |
| Published promise | – | – |
| Aid forms | FAFSAFall 2026 entrants | FAFSAFall 2026 entrants |
| Aid priority date or deadline | March 2 (priority)Fall 2026 entrants | – |
| Need met, first-years | 84%2024–25 | 73%2024–25 |
| Average aid package, first-years | $32,4742024–25 | $17,2702024–25 |
| College grant dollars given as merit | 11%2024–25 | 6%2024–25 |
| Aid for international students | 214 students, average $10.3K2024–25 | 73 students, average $29.5K2024–25 |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $84,943 | $64,909 |
| Graduation rate | 90% | 82% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 82% | 72% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 88% | 78% |
| Pell graduation gap | 6 pts lower | 6 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 86% | 79% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 91% | 83% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 77% | 72% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 82% | 69% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 87% | 76% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | 88% | 68% |
| Retention rate | 95%Entered fall 2024 | 91%Entered fall 2024 |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 76% | 66% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 89% | 83% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 3% | 11% |
| Median debt | $15,500 | $15,000 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 21% | 23% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $14,837 | $12,500 |
| Website | ucsd.edu | sdsu.edu |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of California-San Diego Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;Common Data Set, most recent release;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;San Diego State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why