College comparison

UC Riverside 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	UC Riverside Riverside, CA	UC San Diego La Jolla, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-San Diego is more selective	76%	27%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	22,593	34,948
Avg net price	$14,304	$12,470
Median earnings (10 yr)UC San Diego reports higher median earnings	$67,699	$84,943
Graduation rate	76%	86%
Median debt	$17,500	$15,500
Economic mobility	6.0%	4.8%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is University of California-Riverside or University of California-San Diego harder to get into?

University of California-San Diego is more selective: University of California-Riverside's acceptance rate is approximately 76% and University of California-San Diego's is approximately 27% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for University of California-Riverside vs University of California-San Diego?

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-Riverside 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.