USD vs. Catholic University of America

Should I go to University of San Diego or Catholic University of America? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or Catholic University of America 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Pepperdine SCU USF USC PLNU UCSB Cal Poly TCU
University of San Diego vs. Catholic University of America comparison
University of San Diego Catholic University of America College 3 College 4
University of San Diego Catholic University of America
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

USD Catholic University of America
Location San Diego, CA Washington, DC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,815 4,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu cua.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD Catholic University of America
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $53,040
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $53,040
Room & Board $17,010 $16,670
Avg Net Price $36,008 $36,031
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $34,449
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 98%

Admission

USD Catholic University of America
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 5,801
Admitted 7,541 4,965
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 85.6%
Enrolled % 16.4% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

USD Catholic University of America
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

USD Catholic University of America
Graduation Rate 75% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $58,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $26,106
Median Loan Payment $236 $269

Diversity

USD Catholic University of America
% Men 43% 46%
% Women 57% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 64%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 19% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

USD Catholic University of America
% In-State 55% 5%
% Out-of-State 40% 87%

Campus

USD Catholic University of America
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Diego is larger than than Catholic University of America based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 4,968 students)

USD vs. Catholic University of America Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or Catholic University of America?

  • University of San Diego is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Catholic University of America for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $53,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at USD than Catholic University of America ($53,810.00 vs. $53,040.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than Catholic University of America ($36,008 vs. $36,031)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catholic University of America are 2% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($16,670 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catholic University of America than University of San Diego (98% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 5.7% larger than aid received Catholic University of America ($36,408 vs. $34,449)

USD vs. Catholic University of America Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or Catholic University of America? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Catholic University of America or USD .

  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Catholic University of America (3.52)
  • Catholic University of America has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. Catholic University of America Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or Catholic University of America? 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 Catholic University of America and USD.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Catholic University of America (75% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $11,600 more per year than Catholic University of America graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $58,600)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $3,202 lower median federal student loan debt than Catholic University of America graduates. ($22,904 vs. $26,106)
  • USD graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Catholic University of America graduates. ($236 vs. $269)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catholic University of America students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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