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UC San Diego vs CU-Boulder

Nestled along the sunny shores of California and amidst the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) and the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) stand as two beacons of higher education, each offering a distinct academic experience. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and research, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover the nuances that set these two institutions apart and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
University of California-San Diego logo

University of California-San Diego

 		University of Colorado Boulder logo

University of Colorado Boulder

Overview

Location La Jolla, California Boulder, Colorado
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 87.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 34.2% 79.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70
Graduate: $120
Undergraduate: $50
Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 1170 - 1390
ACT range N/A 25 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 118,386 54,756
Total number of admissions given out 40,493 43,576
Admitted students who chose to enroll 7,544 6,785
Yield rate 18.6% 15.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $35,116
Out of state: $64,870
In state: $29,725
Out of state: $55,543
Average net price $15,632 $22,532
Tuition
In state: $11,442
Out of state: $41,196
In state: $10,728
Out of state: $36,546
Room & board $16,145 $15,220
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

 48.0%
Average amount $18,083 		53.0%
Average amount $9,214
Students receiving federal student loan 21.0%
Average amount $4,545 		27.0%
Average amount $4,986
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $4,851 		6.0%
Average amount $24,094

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 33,343
Men 48.7% Women 51.3% 		30,886
Men 54.8% Women 45.2%
Graduate students 8,542
Men 57.6% Women 42.4% 		8,114
Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 16.6% 48.8%
International students 21.3% 7.1%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 17,765 7,500
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Texas New York Illinois Colorado California Texas Illinois New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 89.4% 74.0%
Dropout rate 9.7% 8.6%
Transferred out N/A 15.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,768
  • Year 2: $162,463
  • Year 3: $194,475
Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,641
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $153,118
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $124,326
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,445
  • Year 2: $113,668
  • Year 3: $123,569
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,196
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $113,628
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,603
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $109,783
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $108,034
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,738
  • Year 2: $86,972
  • Year 3: $105,245
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,610
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $102,296
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,476
  • Year 2: $79,688
  • Year 3: $99,630
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,752
  • Year 2: $116,679
  • Year 3: $121,033
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $118,373
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,907
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $108,458
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,254
  • Year 2: $89,641
  • Year 3: $97,860
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,200
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $92,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,191
  • Year 2: $80,503
  • Year 3: $87,258
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,023
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $86,676
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,804
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $85,563
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,633
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $85,039
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,440
  • Year 2: $71,957
  • Year 3: $83,132

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