Design Institute of San Diego vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (22,563 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Design Institute of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Design Institute of San Diego 8:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Design Institute of San Diego or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State University than Design Institute of San Diego ($13,168 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Design Institute of San Diego are 0.8% lower than at San Francisco State University ($22,086 vs. $22,266).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 268.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $21,350 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 42.6% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at San Francisco State University (about $8,750 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $20,550.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at San Francisco State University (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco State University students is 9.2% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($12,996 vs. $11,901).

Design Institute of San Diego vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

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

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than San Francisco State (96.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

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

How do outcomes compare for Design Institute of San Diego and San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State University's (46%).
• Graduates from San Francisco State University earn a median of about $13,700 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,600 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Francisco State University graduates have a $23,335 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($17,250 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, San Francisco State graduates have an estimated $241 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($178 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 63%)

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.