USD vs. University of St Thomas

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

USD University of St Thomas
Location San Diego, CA Houston, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,815 3,588
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #479
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu stthom.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD University of St Thomas
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $31,724
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $31,724
Room & Board $17,010 $9,760
Avg Net Price $36,008 $19,207
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $23,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 91%

Admission

USD University of St Thomas
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 1,123
Admitted 7,541 1,086
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 96.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 47.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29
SAT Range 1010/1300
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

USD University of St Thomas
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

USD University of St Thomas
Graduation Rate 75% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $227

Diversity

USD University of St Thomas
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 28%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 19% 40%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

USD University of St Thomas
% In-State 55% 95%
% Out-of-State 40% 3%

Campus

USD University of St Thomas
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 San Diego is larger than than University of St Thomas based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 3,588 students)

USD vs. University of St Thomas Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or University of St Thomas?

  • University of San Diego is 69.6% more expensive to attend than University of St Thomas for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $31,724.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.6% higher at USD than University of St Thomas ($53,810.00 vs. $31,724.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of St Thomas than USD ($19,207 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of St Thomas are 74.3% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($9,760 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of St Thomas than University of San Diego (91% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 57.1% larger than aid received University of St Thomas ($36,408 vs. $23,181)

USD vs. University of St Thomas Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 133 points higher than at University of St Thomas (1103)
  • Incoming USD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at University of St Thomas (25)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at University of St Thomas (3.53)
  • University of St Thomas has a higher acceptance rate (96.7%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. University of St Thomas Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or University of St Thomas? 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 University of St Thomas and USD.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than University of St Thomas (75% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $13,000 more per year than University of St Thomas graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $57,200)
  • University of St Thomas students graduate with a $904 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,904)
  • University of St Thomas graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($227 vs. $236)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Thomas students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 59%)

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