University at Buffalo (UB) vs San Diego State University (SDSU)
Nestled in the vibrant city of Buffalo, New York, and the sun-kissed shores of San Diego, California, University at Buffalo (UB) and San Diego State University (SDSU) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence and student success, they offer unique experiences shaped by their diverse locations, student demographics, and academic strengths. UB boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while SDSU's acceptance rate is more selective. In terms of popular majors, UB excels in engineering, health professions, and social sciences, while SDSU shines in business, communication, and education. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your choice between these two esteemed universities.
|
![]() San Diego State University |
![]() University at Buffalo |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | San Diego, California | Buffalo, New York |
Campus setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 90.0% | 83.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 37.9% | 70.1% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$70
|
Undergraduate:
$50
Graduate:
$75
|
SAT range | N/A | 1180 - 1360 |
ACT range | N/A | 25 - 31 |
Students submitting SAT score | 29.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 5.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 67,660 | 30,750 |
Total number of admissions given out | 25,646 | 21,552 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 5,269 | 4,309 |
Yield rate | 20.5% | 20.0% |
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) | Not required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price |
In state:
$28,256
Out of state:
$40,136
|
In state:
$30,240
Out of state:
$48,160
|
Average net price | $6,867 | $17,954 |
Tuition |
In state:
$5,742
Out of state:
$17,622
|
In state:
$7,070
Out of state:
$24,990
|
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$12,824
Meal plan:
$6,344
|
Room/dormitory:
$8,952
Meal plan:
$6,500
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
47.0%
Average amount $9,026 |
71.0%
Average amount $8,810 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
18.0%
Average amount $5,015 |
45.0%
Average amount $5,071 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $21,638 |
8.0%
Average amount $13,892 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
31,321
Men 43.1% Women 56.9% |
21,467
Men 54.3% Women 45.7% |
Graduate students |
5,163
Men 35.9% Women 64.1% |
10,865
Men 47.5% Women 52.5% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 24.2% | 3.2% |
International students | 5.5% | 18.3% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 6,514 | 7,711 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Washington Colorado Texas New Jersey | New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Connecticut Florida |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 26:1 | 13:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 76.2% | 73.8% |
Dropout rate | 20.5% | 8.7% |
Transferred out | 1.4% | 16.4% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
|
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

























































































































































































