University of California-San Diego vs Northwestern University

La Jolla, CA · Evanston, IL · largest Scorecard gap: in-state tuition

Scorecard match plate

Pair CA:IL

MIXED-SECTOR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-PAR · DEBT-PAR · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-TUITION

  • MIXED-SECTOR Mixed sector
  • CROSS-STATE CA × IL
  • ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-PAR Earnings near-par
  • DEBT-PAR Debt near-par
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-TUITION Largest gap · In-State Tuition

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Headcount surged on one side only

ENROLL-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023

University of California-San Diego posted a brisk directional enrollment rise over 2013–2023 while its peer's size series stays a range, and both acceptance rates tightened. Do not read this as parallel growth under the same selectivity story.

  • University of California-San Diego: enrollment grew +42.0% over 2013–2023; fitted +1,028 students/yr fitted, r² 0.97.
  • Northwestern University: enrollment ranged 8,401–8,960 (2013–2023, 11 points) without a stable fitted direction.
  • University of California-San Diego: acceptance rate tightened -34.6% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.46).
  • Northwestern University: acceptance rate tightened -53.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.86).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: University of California-San Diego vs Northwestern University

  1. IN-STATE-TUITION University of California-San Diego leads on in-state tuition ($16,758 vs $68,322 at Northwestern University)
  2. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Northwestern University leads on acceptance rate (7.7% vs 26.7% at University of California-San Diego)
  3. AVG-NET-PRICE University of California-San Diego leads on avg net price ($12,470 vs $29,167 at Northwestern University)

University of California-San Diego profile · Northwestern University profile · Compare other colleges

In-State Tuition and other Scorecard questions

On in-state tuition, who leads between University of California-San Diego and Northwestern University?
University of California-San Diego leads on in-state tuition at $16,758 versus $68,322 at Northwestern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between University of California-San Diego and Northwestern University?
Northwestern University leads on acceptance rate at 7.7% versus 26.7% at University of California-San Diego. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On avg net price, who leads between University of California-San Diego and Northwestern University?
University of California-San Diego leads on avg net price at $12,470 versus $29,167 at Northwestern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); in-state tuition focus for this pair · 2025