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University of San Diego vs Saint Mary's College of California

Nestled in the vibrant city of San Diego and the historic town of Moraga, University of San Diego (USD) and Saint Mary's College of California (SMC) stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning. While both offer a rigorous academic experience and a supportive community, they differ in several key aspects. USD boasts a higher acceptance rate, a more diverse student body, and a wider range of undergraduate programs, including engineering and business. SMC, on the other hand, prides itself on its smaller class sizes, strong liberal arts foundation, and emphasis on community service. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into the specifics and discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Saint Mary's College of California logo

Saint Mary's College of California

 		University of San Diego logo

University of San Diego

Overview

Location Moraga, California San Diego, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.1% 52.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60
Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $55
Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 3,523 14,326
Total number of admissions given out 2,469 7,550
Admitted students who chose to enroll 421 1,166
Yield rate 17.1% 15.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $71,116 $75,982
Average net price $25,022 $34,155
Tuition $51,568 $52,120
Room & board $16,300 $16,246
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

 100.0%
Average amount $37,096 		82.0%
Average amount $34,413
Students receiving federal student loan 75.0%
Average amount $5,473 		33.0%
Average amount $5,216
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $19,233 		5.0%
Average amount $12,155

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 2,199
Men 42.0% Women 58.0% 		5,702
Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
Graduate students 966
Men 35.5% Women 64.5% 		3,339
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 13.9% 45.5%
International students 2.9% 6.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,522 2,484
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Oregon Hawaii California Washington Colorado Arizona Nevada

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.1% 80.0%
Dropout rate 26.3% 19.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,339
  • Year 2: $108,331
  • Year 3: $119,946
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,181
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $87,697
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $86,536
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,207
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $72,426
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,833
  • Year 2: $61,814
  • Year 3: $68,615
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,015
  • Year 2: $54,996
  • Year 3: $67,476
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,013
  • Year 2: $57,705
  • Year 3: $61,957
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,519
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $60,193
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,458
  • Year 2: $52,562
  • Year 3: $54,948
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,425
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $50,097
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,672
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $115,744
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,123
  • Year 2: $89,672
  • Year 3: $102,690
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,786
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $98,598
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,329
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $93,985
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,367
  • Year 2: $73,391
  • Year 3: $92,346
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,417
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $84,924
Real Estate (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,970
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $84,277
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,809
  • Year 2: $61,962
  • Year 3: $75,083
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,424
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $72,729
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,434
  • Year 2: $61,069
  • Year 3: $72,310

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