Cal State LA vs. USD

Should I go to California State University Los Angeles or University of San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State LA or USD is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Pepperdine SCU USF San Francisco State USC Cal State Long Beach Cal State Fullerton PLNU
California State University Los Angeles vs. University of San Diego comparison
California State University Los Angeles University of San Diego College 3 College 4
California State University Los Angeles University of San Diego
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Cal State LA USD
Location Los Angeles, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,460 8,815
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #947
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calstatela.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State LA USD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $53,810
Room & Board $17,998 $17,010
Avg Net Price $5,801 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $10,907 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 83%

Admission

Cal State LA USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,939 14,334
Admitted 29,507 7,541
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 52.6%
Enrolled % 13.2% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.95
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 19, 2025 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

Cal State LA USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Cal State LA USD
Graduation Rate 36% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,900 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,920 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $133 $236

Diversity

Cal State LA USD
% Men 41% 43%
% Women 59% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 7% 53%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 63% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Cal State LA USD
% In-State 99% 55%
% Out-of-State 0% 40%

Campus

Cal State LA USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Los Angeles is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 8,815 students)

Cal State LA vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or USD?

  • University of San Diego is 837.1% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.4% higher at USD than California State University Los Angeles ($53,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than USD ($5,801 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 5.8% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($17,010 vs. $17,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than University of San Diego (91% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 233.8% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($36,408 vs. $10,907)

Cal State LA vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or Cal State LA .

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 362 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
  • Incoming USD students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cal State LA (18)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
  • Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (86.9%) than USD (52.6%)

Cal State LA vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State LA or USD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USD and Cal State LA.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than California State University Los Angeles (75% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $23,300 more per year than Cal State LA graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $46,900)
  • California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $9,984 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($12,920 vs. $22,904)
  • Cal State LA graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($133 vs. $236)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/