College comparison

UC San Diego vs University of the Pacific

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 San Diego La Jolla, CA	University of the Pacific Stockton, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-San Diego is more selective	27%	71%
SAT (25–75)	—	1183–1480
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	34,948	3,204
Avg net price	$12,470	$25,447
Median earnings (10 yr)UC San Diego reports higher median earnings	$84,943	$78,445
Graduation rate	86%	69%
Median debt	$15,500	$19,500
Economic mobility	4.8%	4.3%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Private (nonprofit)

Quick answers

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

University of California-San Diego is more selective: University of California-San Diego's acceptance rate is approximately 27% and University of the Pacific's is approximately 71% (estimates from public and primary sources).

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

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-San Diego and 1183–1480 at University of the Pacific. 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.