USF vs. Stanford

Should I go to University of San Francisco or Stanford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF or Stanford 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. 

Harvard San Francisco State Caltech MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Yale Princeton Pomona UChicago
University of San Francisco vs. Stanford University comparison
University of San Francisco Stanford University College 3 College 4
University of San Francisco Stanford University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

USF Stanford
Location San Francisco, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,688 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #137 #2
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usfca.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USF Stanford
Tuition (In State) $54,980 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $54,980 $57,693
Room & Board $16,550 $18,619
Avg Net Price $42,953 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $30,916 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 53%

Admission

USF Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,103 56,378
Admitted 16,444 2,075
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 3.7%
Enrolled % 9.5% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.96
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 27/31 33/35
SAT Range 1210/1410 1500/1580
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

USF Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

USF Stanford
Graduation Rate 70% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,400 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $258 $128

Diversity

USF Stanford
% Men 35% 53%
% Women 65% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 37%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 19% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 10%
% International 19% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

USF Stanford
% In-State 55% 35%
% Out-of-State 34% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stanford University is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (18,283 students vs. 9,688 students)

USF vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF or Stanford?

  • Stanford University is 4.9% more expensive to attend than USF for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $54,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at Stanford than University of San Francisco ($57,693.00 vs. $54,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than USF ($18,279 vs. $42,953)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 12.5% lower than costs at Stanford University ($16,550 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than Stanford University (96% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 96.1% larger than aid received University of San Francisco ($60,619 vs. $30,916)

USF vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 307 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than Stanford (3.7%)

USF vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF or Stanford? 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 Stanford and USF.

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than University of San Francisco (96% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $52,500 more per year than USF graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $70,400)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $12,525 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($12,475 vs. $25,000)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($128 vs. $258)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 73%)

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