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UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Fairfield University Chapman Pepperdine SCU Marist College USF Quinnipiac USC PLNU| University of San Diego | Sacred Heart University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USD | SHU | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Fairfield, CT | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,110 | 11,179 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sandiego.edu | sacredheart.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USD | SHU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,690 | $48,160 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,690 | $48,160 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,084 | $18,450 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,675 | $46,165 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $37,444 | $20,597 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 84% | 99% |
Admission |
USD | SHU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,953 | 14,284 | ||
| Admitted | 7,458 | 9,667 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.7% | 67.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.7% | 19.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | 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, 2025 |
Academics |
USD | SHU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 16:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
USD | SHU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $70,200 | $59,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,904 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $236 | $258 |
Diversity |
USD | SHU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 22% | 23% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 53% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 2% | ||
| % International | 7% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 12% |
Students |
USD | SHU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 77% | ||
Campus |
USD | SHU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Sacred Heart University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (11,179 students vs. 9,110 students)
USD vs. SHU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USD or SHU?
- University of San Diego is 15.6% more expensive to attend than SHU for in-state tuition ($55,690.00 vs. $48,160.00)
- Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at USD than Sacred Heart University ($55,690.00 vs. $48,160.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than SHU ($37,675 vs. $46,165)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 2% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($18,084 vs. $18,450)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than University of San Diego (99% vs. 84%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 81.8% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($37,444 vs. $20,597)
USD vs. SHU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USD or SHU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SHU or USD .
- Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at SHU (3.55)
- SHU has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than USD (46.7%)
USD vs. SHU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USD or SHU? 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 SHU and USD.
- The graduation rate at USD is higher than Sacred Heart University (75% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $10,500 more per year than SHU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $59,700)
- University of San Diego students graduate with a $2,096 lower median federal student loan debt than SHU graduates. ($22,904 vs. $25,000)
- USD graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than SHU graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
- More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU 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/