UC San Diego vs University of Connecticut (UConn)

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of two esteemed institutions: the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) and the University of Connecticut (UConn). While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer distinct experiences that cater to diverse student aspirations. UCSD, nestled along the scenic Pacific coast, boasts a highly selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 30.4%, while UConn, located in the heart of New England, welcomes a broader range of applicants, reflected in its 51.8% acceptance rate. Explore the nuances of each university's popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, meticulously presented in the comparison table below, to discern the institution that best aligns with your academic pursuits and personal preferences.
University of California-San Diego logo

University of California-San Diego

University of Connecticut logo

University of Connecticut

Overview

Location La Jolla, California Storrs, Connecticut
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
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% 92.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 34.2% 55.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A 1230 - 1430
ACT range N/A 27 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 7.0%
Total number of applicants 118,386 36,753
Total number of admissions given out 40,493 20,433
Admitted students who chose to enroll 7,544 3,663
Yield rate 18.6% 17.9%
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: $37,266

Out of state: $59,934
Average net price $15,632 $22,168
Tuition
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
In state: $15,030

Out of state: $37,698
Room & board $16,145
Room/dormitory: $7,238

Meal plan: $6,020
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

48.0%
Average amount $18,083
76.0%
Average amount $15,801
Students receiving federal student loan 21.0%
Average amount $4,545
35.0%
Average amount $5,247
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $4,851
5.0%
Average amount $21,780

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 33,343
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
18,567
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Graduate students 8,542
Men 57.6% Women 42.4%
8,309
Men 45.1% Women 54.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 16.6% 35.3%
International students 21.3% 12.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 17,765 10,792
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 Connecticut Mississippi New York New Jersey New Hampshire

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 89.4% 83.1%
Dropout rate 9.7% 6.7%
Transferred out N/A 9.5%
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
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,915
  • Year 2: $95,473
  • Year 3: $146,595
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,306
  • Year 2: $106,249
  • Year 3: $123,588
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,391
  • Year 2: $115,339
  • Year 3: $122,969
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,347
  • Year 2: $105,392
  • Year 3: $111,865
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,087
  • Year 2: $89,859
  • Year 3: $106,919
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,556
  • Year 2: $89,144
  • Year 3: $95,923
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,033
  • Year 2: $79,473
  • Year 3: $92,299
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,037
  • Year 2: $77,715
  • Year 3: $89,989
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $78,073
  • Year 2: $86,621
  • Year 3: $88,550
Psychology, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $87,936

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