CSU Stanislaus vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Stanislaus in Turlock, 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 Stanislaus is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (9,724 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Stanislaus is located in Turlock, CA (Small Suburban setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus 18:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

CSU Stanislaus vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus than Design Institute of San Diego ($7,433 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Stanislaus are 40.6% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($13,126 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 255.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Stanislaus (about $21,054 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $8,246.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.6% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Stanislaus (about $8,454 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $20,846.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Stanislaus (100% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Stanislaus students is 5% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($12,492 vs. $11,901).

CSU Stanislaus vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Stanislaus 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 CSU Stanislaus.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU Stanislaus - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Stanislaus Nov 30, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CSU Stanislaus (98.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.1% at CSU Stanislaus vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

CSU Stanislaus vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University Stanislaus earn a median of about $7,000 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($45,900 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Stanislaus graduates have a $25,585 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($15,000 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, CSU Stanislaus graduates have an estimated $264 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($155 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Stanislaus 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.