Sacramento State vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Sacramento is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Sacramento is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Sacramento 24:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

Sacramento State vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Sacramento than Design Institute of San Diego ($10,110 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 13.2% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($19,174 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 265.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sacramento State (about $21,282 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $8,018.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 42.1% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Sacramento (about $8,682 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $20,618.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Sacramento (100% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 7.3% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($12,767 vs. $11,901).

Sacramento State vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Design Institute of San Diego and Sacramento State.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Sacramento 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: California State University Sacramento 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sacramento State - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Sacramento State (94%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

Sacramento State vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sacramento State and Design Institute of San Diego? 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.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than California State University Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from California State University Sacramento earn a median of about $12,100 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,000 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $24,835 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($15,750 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $257 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($162 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 64%)

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.