University of San Francisco vs University of San Diego

Nestled in the vibrant cities of San Francisco and San Diego, the University of San Francisco (USF) and the University of San Diego (USD) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education in California. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence and student success, they offer unique experiences shaped by their diverse locations, student demographics, and academic strengths. USF, rooted in the Jesuit tradition, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on social justice, while USD, guided by the Catholic faith, emphasizes leadership and ethical decision-making. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, and graduation outcomes, USF and USD cater to different student aspirations and goals. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic pursuits, personal values, and desired college experience.
University of San Diego logo

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco logo

University of San Francisco

Overview

Location San Diego, California San Francisco, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 86.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 52.7% 70.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $45
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $55
SAT range N/A 1190 - 1390
ACT range N/A 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 17.0%
Students submitting ACT score 11.0%
Total number of applicants 14,326 22,372
Total number of admissions given out 7,550 15,867
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,166 1,452
Yield rate 15.4% 9.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,982 $75,232
Average net price $34,155 $39,825
Tuition $52,120 $52,920
Room & board $16,246
Room/dormitory: $11,030

Meal plan: $5,110
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

82.0%
Average amount $34,413
92.0%
Average amount $31,112
Students receiving federal student loan 33.0%
Average amount $5,216
47.0%
Average amount $5,182
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $12,155
6.0%
Average amount $23,306

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,702
Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
5,969
Men 35.6% Women 64.4%
Graduate students 3,339
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
4,065
Men 34.0% Women 66.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 45.5% 35.6%
International students 6.2% 12.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,484 2,800
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Arizona Nevada California Washington Oregon Texas Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 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 80.0% 75.6%
Dropout rate 19.5% 7.8%
Transferred out N/A 16.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $154,879
  • Year 2: $175,674
  • Year 3: $161,396
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,844
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $130,019
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $117,274
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $127,016
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,668
  • Year 2: $100,292
  • Year 3: $112,643
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,719
  • Year 2: $96,866
  • Year 3: $106,157
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $105,769
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $103,513
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,025
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $95,947
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,019
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $85,917
Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,064
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $78,626

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