San Francisco State vs. USF

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

San Francisco State USF
Location San Francisco, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 25,282 9,688
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #789 #137
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sfsu.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Francisco State USF
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $54,980
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $54,980
Room & Board $17,955 $16,550
Avg Net Price $13,267 $42,953
Avg Grant Aid $9,830 $30,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 96%

Admission

San Francisco State USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,932 23,103
Admitted 28,195 16,444
Acceptance Rate 94.2% 71.2%
Enrolled % 11.8% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/23 27/31
SAT Range 930/1130 1210/1410
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

San Francisco State USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

San Francisco State USF
Graduation Rate 46% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,600 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $178 $258

Diversity

San Francisco State USF
% Men 43% 35%
% Women 57% 65%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 27%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 6% 19%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

San Francisco State USF
% In-State 96% 55%
% Out-of-State 1% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Francisco State University is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (25,282 students vs. 9,688 students)

San Francisco State vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Francisco State or USF?

  • University of San Francisco is 857.5% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($54,980.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 212% higher at USF than San Francisco State University ($54,980.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than USF ($13,267 vs. $42,953)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 8.5% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($16,550 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than San Francisco State University (96% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 214.5% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($30,916 vs. $9,830)

San Francisco State vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Francisco (1172) is 193 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
  • Incoming USF students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Francisco State (21)
  • Accepted freshman USF students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at San Francisco State (3.31)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than USF (71.2%)

San Francisco State vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Francisco State or USF? 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 USF and San Francisco State.

  • The graduation rate at USF is higher than San Francisco State University (70% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $17,800 more per year than San Francisco State graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $52,600)
  • San Francisco State University students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($17,250 vs. $25,000)
  • San Francisco State graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($178 vs. $258)
  • More USF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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