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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 | University of San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal State LA | USD | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 25,080 | 9,110 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #941 | |||
| 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 | $55,690 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $55,690 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,658 | $18,084 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,551 | $37,675 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,478 | $37,444 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 84% |
Admission |
Cal State LA | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 32,748 | 15,953 | ||
| Admitted | 30,106 | 7,458 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.9% | 46.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 16.7% | ||
| 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, 2026 | Dec 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal State LA | USD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 14:1 | ||
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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 | 5% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 22% | ||
| 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% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 43% | ||
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 (25,080 students vs. 9,110 students)
Cal State LA vs. USD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or USD?
- University of San Diego is 869.9% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($55,690.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 216% higher at USD than California State University Los Angeles ($55,690.00 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 ($4,551 vs. $37,675)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 3.2% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($18,084 vs. $18,658)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than University of San Diego (93% vs. 84%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 200.1% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($37,444 vs. $12,478)
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 (91.9%) than USD (46.7%)
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/