San Diego State vs. USD

Should I go to San Diego State University or University of San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Diego State 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD Loyola Marymount UC Riverside Chapman Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State Pepperdine SCU UCSB
San Diego State University vs. University of San Diego comparison
San Diego State University University of San Diego College 3 College 4
San Diego State University University of San Diego
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

San Diego State USD
Location San Diego, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 8,815
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #337
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State USD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $53,810
Room & Board $19,714 $17,010
Avg Net Price $13,017 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 83%

Admission

San Diego State USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 14,334
Admitted 30,331 7,541
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 52.6%
Enrolled % 21.7% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

San Diego State USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

San Diego State USD
Graduation Rate 66% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $158 $236

Diversity

San Diego State USD
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 53%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 31% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

San Diego State USD
% In-State 77% 55%
% Out-of-State 21% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 8,815 students)

San Diego State vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or USD?

  • University of San Diego is 837.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.4% higher at USD than San Diego State University ($53,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than USD ($13,017 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 15.9% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($17,010 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than San Diego State University (83% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 266.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($36,408 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 106 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming USD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State 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 San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than San Diego State University (75% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $16,800 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,555 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($15,349 vs. $22,904)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($158 vs. $236)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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