Design Institute of San Diego vs. USD

Comparable Facts

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

University of San Diego is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (9,714 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); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Design Institute of San Diego 8:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 9.8% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($19,918 vs. $22,086).
• Out-of-state tuition is 103% higher at USD than at Design Institute of San Diego (about $30,186 more per year; $59,486 vs. $29,300).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at University of San Diego (100% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 244.2% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($40,965 vs. $11,901).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are open admission at Design Institute of San Diego, test-free at USD.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026.
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego vs. 12.4% at USD.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $17,681 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($22,904 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, USD graduates have an estimated $183 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($236 vs. $419).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Design Institute of San Diego students, three years after graduation (78% vs. 68%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.