California State University-Fresno vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fresno in Fresno, 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 Fresno is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California State University-Fresno vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno 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 Fresno than USD ($7,834 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 40% lower than at University of San Diego ($11,960 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 709.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $52,136 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 198.2% higher at USD than at California State University Fresno (about $39,536 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at University of San Diego (85% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 232.3% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($40,965 vs. $12,326).

California State University-Fresno vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Fresno 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 California State University-Fresno.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 890/1100.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Fresno - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.83 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 12.4% at USD.

California State University-Fresno vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno 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 Fresno's (49%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $23,700 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $7,904 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($15,000 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $81 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($155 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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.