San Diego State vs. USC

Should I go to San Diego State University or University of Southern California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if San Diego State or USC 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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San Diego State University vs. University of Southern California comparison
San Diego State University University of Southern California College 3 College 4
San Diego State University University of Southern California
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Overview

San Diego State USC
Location San Diego, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State USC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $63,468
Room & Board $19,714 $17,436
Avg Net Price $13,017 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 71%

Admission

San Diego State USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 69,062
Admitted 30,331 8,304
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 12%
Enrolled % 21.7% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 22/29 32/35
SAT Range 1090/1300 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

San Diego State USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State USC
Graduation Rate 66% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $158 $231

Diversity

San Diego State USC
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 40%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 31% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State USC
% In-State 77% 42%
% Out-of-State 21% 40%

Campus

San Diego State USC
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

  • University of Southern California is larger than than San Diego State based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 37,402 students)

San Diego State vs. USC Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern California is 1,005.3% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.2% higher at USC than San Diego State University ($63,468.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than USC ($13,017 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 13.1% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($17,436 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than San Diego State University (71% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 355.6% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($45,262 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 261 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming USC students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
  • San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than USC (12%)

San Diego State vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or USC? 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 USC and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than San Diego State University (90% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $32,100 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $7,026 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($15,349 vs. $22,375)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($158 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 65%)

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