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UC San Diego vs UT Austin

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant academic landscapes of two prestigious universities: the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) and The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer distinct experiences shaped by their unique locations, student demographics, and academic strengths. UCSD, nestled along the sunny shores of La Jolla, California, boasts a diverse student body and a focus on research and innovation. UT Austin, situated in the heart of the vibrant city of Austin, Texas, is known for its strong engineering and business programs and its spirited Longhorn spirit. As you embark on your higher education journey, explore the nuances that set these two universities apart, from their acceptance rates and popular majors to their student life and graduation outcomes. Dive into the comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

 		University of California-San Diego logo

University of California-San Diego

Overview

Location Austin, Texas La Jolla, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 95.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 28.7% 34.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75
Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $70
Graduate: $120
SAT range 1230 - 1500 N/A
ACT range 27 - 33 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 56.0%
Students submitting ACT score 26.0%
Total number of applicants 66,077 118,386
Total number of admissions given out 18,994 40,493
Admitted students who chose to enroll 9,060 7,544
Yield rate 47.7% 18.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not 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: $29,788
Out of state: $59,032
In state: $35,116
Out of state: $64,870
Average net price $16,589 $15,632
Tuition
In state: $11,752
Out of state: $40,996
In state: $11,442
Out of state: $41,196
Room & board $12,768 $16,145
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

 51.0%
Average amount $12,725 		48.0%
Average amount $18,083
Students receiving federal student loan 28.0%
Average amount $4,961 		21.0%
Average amount $4,545
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $16,366 		7.0%
Average amount $4,851

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 40,916
Men 43.4% Women 56.6% 		33,343
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
Graduate students 11,075
Men 49.5% Women 50.5% 		8,542
Men 57.6% Women 42.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 9.2% 16.6%
International students 9.1% 21.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,809 17,765
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Texas California New York New Jersey Illinois California Washington Texas New York Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 19:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 87.8% 89.4%
Dropout rate 11.7% 9.7%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $130,952
  • Year 2: $131,707
  • Year 3: $149,763
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,716
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $131,523
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,909
  • Year 2: $120,124
  • Year 3: $127,068
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,526
  • Year 2: $100,607
  • Year 3: $120,559
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,082
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $119,993
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,247
  • Year 2: $102,706
  • Year 3: $108,654
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,293
  • Year 2: $88,723
  • Year 3: $99,721
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,133
  • Year 2: $79,558
  • Year 3: $97,550
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,714
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $93,999
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,984
  • Year 2: $80,550
  • Year 3: $92,064
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

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