UCI vs. USD

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Irvine in Irvine, 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 Irvine is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (37,297 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Irvine is located in Irvine, CA (Rural Fringe setting); University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• University of California Irvine 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 Irvine 19:1; University of San Diego 13:1.

UCI vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI 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 Irvine than USD ($15,889 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Irvine are 4.7% lower than at University of San Diego ($18,991 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 278.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCI (about $43,764 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $15,722.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 19.2% higher at USD than at University of California Irvine (about $9,564 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $49,922.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at University of California Irvine (84% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 77.3% larger than aid received by University of California Irvine students ($40,965 vs. $23,110).

UCI vs. USD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCI 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 UCI.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Irvine 1230/1430.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Irvine 26/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UCI - Test-free; USD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCI Nov 30, 2026; USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at UCI (3.75).
• USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.4%) than UCI (28.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.2% at UCI vs. 12.4% at USD.

UCI vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UCI 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 Irvine's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than University of San Diego's (75%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $8,400 more per year than UCI graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $61,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Irvine graduates have a $5,904 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($17,000 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, UCI graduates have an estimated $61 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($175 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCI students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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.