College comparison

Purdue vs UC San Diego

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	Purdue West Lafayette, IN	UC San Diego La Jolla, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-San Diego is more selective	50%	27%
SAT (25–75)	1200–1480	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	44,503	34,948
Avg net price	$14,600	$12,470
Median earnings (10 yr)UC San Diego reports higher median earnings	$72,424	$84,943
Graduation rate	83%	86%
Median debt	$19,500	$15,500
Economic mobility	—	4.8%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is Purdue University-Main Campus or University of California-San Diego harder to get into?

University of California-San Diego is more selective: Purdue University-Main Campus's acceptance rate is approximately 50% and University of California-San Diego's is approximately 27% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for Purdue University-Main Campus vs University of California-San Diego?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1200–1480 at Purdue University-Main Campus and — at University of California-San Diego. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.