California State University-San Bernardino vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Bernardino in San Bernardino, 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 San Bernardino is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (18,492 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California State University-San Bernardino vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino than USD ($5,231 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Bernardino are 24.7% lower than at University of San Diego ($15,002 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 635% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Bernardino (about $51,393 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $8,093.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 187.5% higher at USD than at California State University San Bernardino (about $38,793 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,693.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Bernardino than at University of San Diego (89% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 236.7% larger than aid received by California State University San Bernardino students ($40,965 vs. $12,167).

California State University-San Bernardino vs. USD Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Bernardino 910/1080.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Bernardino 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Bernardino - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Bernardino Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at California State University-San Bernardino (3.41).
• California State University-San Bernardino has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at California State University-San Bernardino vs. 12.4% at USD.

California State University-San Bernardino vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino's (45%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $23,400 more per year than California State University-San Bernardino graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $46,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Bernardino graduates have a $6,404 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($16,500 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Bernardino graduates have an estimated $66 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($170 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Bernardino students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 51%)

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.