USD vs. WPI

Should I go to University of San Diego or Worcester Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or WPI 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Pepperdine SCU USF RPI USC PLNU UCSB Cal Poly
University of San Diego vs. Worcester Polytechnic Institute comparison
University of San Diego Worcester Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
University of San Diego Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

USD WPI
Location San Diego, CA Worcester, MA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,815 7,308
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu wpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD WPI
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $56,000
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $56,000
Room & Board $17,010 $16,544
Avg Net Price $36,008 $46,876
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $27,059
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 96%

Admission

USD WPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 11,599
Admitted 7,541 6,667
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 57.5%
Enrolled % 16.4% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

USD WPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Engineering (61%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (4%)

Outcomes

USD WPI
Graduation Rate 75% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $82,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $279

Diversity

USD WPI
% Men 43% 64%
% Women 57% 36%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 63%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 19% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 7% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

USD WPI
% In-State 55% 45%
% Out-of-State 40% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Diego is larger than than WPI based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 7,308 students)

USD vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or WPI?

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 4.1% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($56,000.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at WPI than University of San Diego ($56,000.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than WPI ($36,008 vs. $46,876)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are 2.8% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($16,544 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute than University of San Diego (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 34.6% larger than aid received Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($36,408 vs. $27,059)

USD vs. WPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at WPI (3.9)
  • WPI has a higher acceptance rate (57.5%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WPI is higher than University of San Diego (76% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn on average $12,500 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($82,700 vs. $70,200)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $4,096 lower median federal student loan debt than WPI graduates. ($22,904 vs. $27,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than WPI graduates. ($236 vs. $279)
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)

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