USD vs. Marian

Comparable Facts

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

University of San Diego is larger than Marian based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 3,486 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Marian University is in Indianapolis, IN (Large City setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Marian University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; Marian University 13:1.

USD vs. Marian Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or Marian? 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 Marian University than USD ($22,786 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marian University are 30.5% lower than at University of San Diego ($13,850 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 46.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Marian (about $18,822 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $40,664.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 46.3% higher at USD than at Marian University (about $18,822 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $40,664.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Marian University than at University of San Diego (97% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 26.6% larger than aid received by Marian University students ($40,965 vs. $32,351).

USD vs. Marian Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or Marian? 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 Marian and USD.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; Marian - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; Marian Aug 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Marian (3.56).
• Marian has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 15.6% at Marian.

USD vs. Marian Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD and Marian? 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 San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than Marian University's (58%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $25,400 more per year than Marian graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $44,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $4,096 lower median loan debt than Marian graduates ($22,904 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, USD graduates have an estimated $43 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Marian graduates ($236 vs. $279).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marian students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 57%)

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.