USD vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than USD based on total student enrollment (22,563 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

USD vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State University than USD ($13,168 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 10.5% lower than at San Francisco State University ($19,918 vs. $22,266).
• University of San Diego is 648.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $51,536 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 189.5% higher at USD than at San Francisco State University (about $38,936 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,550.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at San Francisco State University (84% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 215.2% larger than aid received by San Francisco State University students ($40,965 vs. $12,996).

USD vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or San Francisco State? 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 State and USD.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at San Francisco State (3.31).
• San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

USD vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD and San Francisco State? 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 State University's (46%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $17,600 more per year than San Francisco State graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $52,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Francisco State University graduates have a $5,654 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($17,250 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, San Francisco State graduates have an estimated $58 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($178 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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.