PLNU vs. USD

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or University of San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or USD is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. University of San Diego comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University University of San Diego College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University University of San Diego
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Overview

PLNU USD
Location San Diego, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,319 8,815
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #292
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PLNU USD
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $53,810
Room & Board $11,800 $17,010
Avg Net Price $34,933 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $19,422 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

PLNU USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,149 14,334
Admitted 2,580 7,541
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 52.6%
Enrolled % 26.7% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.95
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1170/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

PLNU USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

PLNU USD
Graduation Rate 72% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $258 $236

Diversity

PLNU USD
% Men 34% 43%
% Women 66% 57%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 53%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 23% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

PLNU USD
% In-State 70% 55%
% Out-of-State 29% 40%

Campus

PLNU USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Diego is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 4,319 students)

PLNU vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or USD?

  • University of San Diego is 33.2% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.2% higher at USD than Point Loma Nazarene University ($53,810.00 vs. $40,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Point Loma Nazarene University than USD ($34,933 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 44.2% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($11,800 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than University of San Diego (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 87.5% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($36,408 vs. $19,422)

PLNU vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, PLNU or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or PLNU .

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 88 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming USD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than USD (52.6%)

PLNU vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or USD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USD and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (75% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $16,700 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $53,500)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $2,096 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($22,904 vs. $25,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
  • More PLNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/