USD vs. DU

Should I go to University of San Diego or University of Denver? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or DU 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. University of Denver comparison
University of San Diego University of Denver College 3 College 4
University of San Diego University of Denver
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Overview

USD DU
Location San Diego, CA Denver, CO
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,815 13,734
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #82
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu du.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD DU
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $55,260
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $55,260
Room & Board $17,010 $15,470
Avg Net Price $36,008 $42,423
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $30,954
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 99%

Admission

USD DU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 19,342
Admitted 7,541 15,024
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 77.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32
SAT Range 1220/1400
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 15, 2025

Academics

USD DU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

USD DU
Graduation Rate 75% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $63,400
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $236 $245

Diversity

USD DU
% Men 43% 38%
% Women 57% 62%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 67%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 19% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 7% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

USD DU
% In-State 55% 25%
% Out-of-State 40% 71%

Campus

USD DU
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

  • University of Denver is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (13,734 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. DU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or DU?

  • University of Denver is 2.7% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($55,260.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at DU than University of San Diego ($55,260.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than DU ($36,008 vs. $42,423)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Denver are 10% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($15,470 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than University of San Diego (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 17.6% larger than aid received University of Denver ($36,408 vs. $30,954)

USD vs. DU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 13 points higher than at USD (1236)
  • Incoming USD students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at DU (28)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at DU (3.72)
  • DU has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. DU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at DU is higher than University of San Diego (78% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $6,800 more per year than DU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $63,400)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $795 lower median federal student loan debt than DU graduates. ($22,904 vs. $23,699)
  • USD graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than DU graduates. ($236 vs. $245)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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