USD vs. San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, CA with San Francisco Conservatory of Music in San Francisco, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of San Diego is larger than San Francisco Conservatory of Music based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 439 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco Conservatory of Music is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; San Francisco Conservatory of Music 5:1.

USD vs. San Francisco Conservatory of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or San Francisco Conservatory of Music? 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 San Diego than San Francisco Conservatory of Music ($37,918 vs. $43,746).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 13.1% lower than at San Francisco Conservatory of Music ($19,918 vs. $22,930).
• University of San Diego is 5.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco Conservatory of Music (about $3,336 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $56,150.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.9% higher at USD than at San Francisco Conservatory of Music (about $3,336 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $56,150.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Conservatory of Music than at University of San Diego (100% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 13.6% larger than aid received by San Francisco Conservatory of Music students ($40,965 vs. $36,052).

USD vs. San Francisco Conservatory of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or San Francisco Conservatory of Music? 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 San Francisco Conservatory of Music and USD.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; San Francisco Conservatory of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; San Francisco Conservatory of Music Dec 7, 2026.
• San Francisco Conservatory of Music has a higher acceptance rate (54.9%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 27.2% at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

USD vs. San Francisco Conservatory of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD and San Francisco Conservatory of Music? 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 San Francisco Conservatory of Music's (73%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $40,000 more per year than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $30,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $3,346 lower median loan debt than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates ($22,904 vs. $26,250).
• Among borrowers, USD graduates have an estimated $35 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates ($236 vs. $271).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco Conservatory of Music students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 66%)

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.