USD vs. NSC

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, CA with Nevada State University in Henderson, NV on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of San Diego is larger than NSC based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 7,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Nevada State University is in Henderson, NV (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Nevada State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; Nevada State University 18:1.

USD vs. NSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or NSC? 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 Nevada State University than USD ($15,699 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nevada State University are 40.7% lower than at University of San Diego ($11,819 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 779.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than NSC (about $52,721 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $6,765.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 172.5% higher at USD than at Nevada State University (about $37,653 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $21,833.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Nevada State University than at University of San Diego (88% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 414.1% larger than aid received by Nevada State University students ($40,965 vs. $7,969).

USD vs. NSC Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; NSC - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 1.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at NSC (2.75).
• NSC has a higher acceptance rate (86.8%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 33.2% at NSC.

USD vs. NSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD and NSC? 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 Nevada State University's (22%).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $16 lower median loan debt than NSC graduates ($22,904 vs. $22,920).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Nevada State University and USD graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($236 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 43%)

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.