UC Davis vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Davis in Davis, CA with University of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Davis is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (40,065 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Davis is located in Davis, CA (Small Suburban setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• University of California Davis is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Davis 22:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

UC Davis vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis or USD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than USD ($17,270 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Davis are 2.5% lower than at University of San Diego ($19,426 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 254.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Davis (about $42,712 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $16,774.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.7% higher at USD than at University of California Davis (about $8,512 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $50,974.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at University of California Davis (84% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 66.6% larger than aid received by University of California Davis students ($40,965 vs. $24,591).

UC Davis vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Davis or USD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between USD and UC Davis.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Davis 1160/1400.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Davis 25/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UC Davis - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Davis Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USD (3.95).
• USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.4%) than UC Davis (41.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.4% at UC Davis vs. 12.4% at USD.

UC Davis vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Davis and USD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of California Davis's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than University of San Diego's (75%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than UC Davis graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $65,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Davis graduates have a $8,228 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($14,676 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, UC Davis graduates have an estimated $85 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($151 vs. $236).
• More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.