USD vs. SCU

Should I go to University of San Diego or Santa Clara University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or SCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of San Diego vs. Santa Clara University comparison
University of San Diego Santa Clara University College 3 College 4
University of San Diego Santa Clara University
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Overview

USD SCU
Location San Diego, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,815 9,178
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #62
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD SCU
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $56,880
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $56,880
Room & Board $17,010 $17,112
Avg Net Price $36,008 $50,551
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $25,295
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 72%

Admission

USD SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 16,650
Admitted 7,541 8,677
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 52.1%
Enrolled % 16.4% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1290/1480
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Jan 7, 2025

Academics

USD SCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

USD SCU
Graduation Rate 75% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $236 $222

Diversity

USD SCU
% Men 43% 50%
% Women 57% 50%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 49%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

USD SCU
% In-State 55% 50%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

USD SCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Clara University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (9,178 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or SCU?

  • Santa Clara University is 5.7% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($56,880.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at SCU than University of San Diego ($56,880.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than SCU ($36,008 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 0.6% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($17,010 vs. $17,112)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than Santa Clara University (83% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 43.9% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($36,408 vs. $25,295)

USD vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or SCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SCU or USD .

  • The average SAT score at Santa Clara University (1313) is 77 points higher than at USD (1236)
  • Incoming SCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at USD (28)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than SCU (52.1%)

USD vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or SCU? 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 SCU and USD.

  • The graduation rate at SCU is higher than University of San Diego (85% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $11,700 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $70,200)
  • Santa Clara University students graduate with a $1,404 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,904)
  • SCU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($222 vs. $236)
  • More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/