Cal State East Bay vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, 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 East Bay is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 9,714 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University East Bay 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 East Bay 22:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay 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 East Bay than USD ($9,850 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 10.5% lower than at University of San Diego ($17,831 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 684.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State East Bay (about $51,903 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,583.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 194.7% higher at USD than at California State University East Bay (about $39,303 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,183.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at California State University East Bay (84% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 231.2% larger than aid received by California State University East Bay students ($40,965 vs. $12,369).

Cal State East Bay vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or USD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between USD and Cal State East Bay.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman USD students have a 0.75 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 12.4% at USD.

Cal State East Bay vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay and USD? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than California State University East Bay's (43%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $14,900 more per year than Cal State East Bay graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $6,572 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($16,332 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $68 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($168 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 61%)

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.