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USD UCSD UC Riverside UCLA Cal State Fullerton Stanford Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State NYU UCSB| San Diego State University | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
San Diego State | USC | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 47,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #36 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $66,640 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $66,640 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $19,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $41,496 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $43,208 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 68% |
Admission |
San Diego State | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 80,808 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 8,094 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 10% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 44.9% | ||
| 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 | 1440/1550 | ||
| 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, 2025 |
Academics |
San Diego State | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 9:1 | ||
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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 | 5% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 30% | ||
| 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 | 75% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 38% | ||
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 (47,147 students vs. 39,241 students)
San Diego State vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or USC?
- University of Southern California is 1,060.6% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 278.2% higher at USC than San Diego State University ($66,640.00 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 ($19,500 vs. $41,496)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 12.7% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($19,198 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of Southern California (94% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 691.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($43,208 vs. $5,459)
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 (34.4%) than USC (10%)
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/