CSUDH vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with University of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Dominguez Hills is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (15,182 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

CSUDH vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH or USD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Dominguez Hills than USD ($9,175 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Dominguez Hills are 7.4% lower than at University of San Diego ($18,444 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 698.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUDH (about $52,037 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,449.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 196.7% higher at USD than at California State University Dominguez Hills (about $39,437 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,049.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at University of San Diego (93% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 193.6% larger than aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students ($40,965 vs. $13,951).

CSUDH vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH or USD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between USD and CSUDH.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.79 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• CSUDH has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 12.4% at USD.

CSUDH vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH and USD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $23,400 more per year than CSUDH graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $46,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $8,942 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($13,962 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $92 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($144 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.