University of San Diego campus

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USD Admission Requirements

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  • 4 Year
  • San Diego, CA
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USD Admission Overview

USD admission requirements are competitive. Last year USD admitted 52.4% of applicants. Enrolled freshmen typically had about a 3.95 GPA (A). USD is test-free. SAT and ACT are not used for admission. Those figures describe last year's class, not a score you must hit.

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

USD Acceptance Rate

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Acceptance rate

52.4%

Admission Standards

Unavailable

Applicant Competition

Average

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Admission difficulty for University of San Diego

Acceptance Rate

The USD acceptance rate is 52.4%. Last year, 8,908 of 17,008 applicants were admitted. That is the 35th lowest acceptance rate in California.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into USD and can you get accepted?

USD is a competitive school to get into, turning away a substantial share of applicants. You have a good chance of acceptance if you meet last year's profile.

University of San Diego typically attracts "A" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.95. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top quarter of their high school class. 12% of those admitted chose to enroll.

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

USD GPA

GPA of enrolled freshmen

Avg. High School GPA

3.95

Typical High School Grades

A

Average GPA (4.0 Scale) 3.95

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

Average GPA

Enrolled freshmen at USD typically have around a 3.95 GPA (A) on a 4.0 scale. That is last year's class average, not a cutoff. Enrolled students typically have exceptionally good grades. USD is test-free, so GPA is the main academic number in the file.

50% of enrolled freshmen had a 4.0. The school ranks #7 in California for highest average GPA.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 4.0 GPA range.

Competitiveness by GPA Ranges

Share of last year's freshmen in each GPA range, compared with the rest of the class.

High school GPA ranges for enrolled University of San Diego freshmen
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness
4.0 50.0% Good
3.75 to 3.99 22.0% Avg
3.50 to 3.74 18.0% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 7.0% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 2.0% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 1.0% Low
2.00 to 2.49 0% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

What do these figures mean?

GPA Data Source, Peterson's Data 2024

High School Class Rank

Class Rank of Admitted Students

68% of University of San Diego freshman are in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class and 29% are in the top ten percent.

High School Class Rank for admitted University of San Diego students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 29%
Top 25% of class 68%
Top 50% of class 96%

Data Source, Peterson's Data

Estimate How You Compare

Compare your GPA with last year's enrolled class and this school's acceptance rate. SAT and ACT are not used.

Open the USD chances calculator

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed in the table below.

University of San Diego admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 10,697 6,311 17,008
Accepted 5,646 3,262 8,908
Acceptance Rate 53% 52% 52%
Enrolled 703 401 1,104
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 12% 12% 12%

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to University of San Diego and what student information is used for admission decisions?

University of San Diego application requirements
Requirement Used for Admission
Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
High School GPA Required to be considered for admission
High School Class Rank Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required to be considered for admission
Recommendations Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies Not required for admission, but considered if submitted

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

Fall 2026 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Dec 15, 2026

Days left to Apply

106

Applicants have 106 days left until the Fall 2026 term applications are due on Dec 15, 2026.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to University of San Diego is $55.

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

Credits Accepted

High school credits accepted at University of San Diego
Credit Type Accepted
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

Admission summary

USD is test-free for 2024-25. Last year it admitted 52.4% of applicants. Enrolled freshmen typically had about a 3.95 GPA (about an A average). Mid-50 scores, where shown, are enrolled testers, not cutoffs.

Data Source, IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025

Other Colleges to Apply To

Students applying to University of San Diego often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=122436.

GPA calculator: University of San Diego GPA calculator.

Last updated: August 2026