Home Colleges California University of San Diego
Private 4-Year Moderately Selective San Diego, CA NCAA Division I-FCS

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA

52.4%
Acceptance Rate
$84,912/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$30,365/yr
Avg Price After Aid
82.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
5,671
Undergrads

About University of San Diego

University of San Diego is a private nonprofit institution located in San Diego, California, situated in a large city setting. The university enrolls approximately 5,671 undergraduates and maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, supporting an 82.7% graduation rate.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
5,671
Avg Faculty Salary
$118,808
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FCS
Endowment
$714M
Pell Students
20.9%
First-Gen
24.9%
What University of San Diego Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Real Estate 57 graduates · 4.4% of degrees here vs 0.07% nationally 59×
Communication 73 graduates · 5.7% of degrees here vs 0.46% nationally 12×
Neuroscience 70 graduates · 5.4% of degrees here vs 0.49% nationally 11×
Finance 147 graduates · 11.4% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
Marketing/Marketing Management 94 graduates · 7.3% of degrees here vs 2.06% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
52.4%
Acceptance rate · Moderately Selective
15,953
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$30,365 avg net
Average net price after aid
$15,586
Under $30K income
$714M
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$64,995 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
82.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
$22,940
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

University of San Diego Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
52.4%
15,953 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
13:1
Undergrad instruction

University of San Diego admits roughly half of applicants, with an acceptance rate of 52.4%, indicating moderate selectivity where many qualified applicants gain admission. Admitted students typically have a 4.02 average high school GPA, with 35% ranking in their high school's top 10%.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 15,953 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years
GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
58%
3.75–3.99
25%
3.50–3.74
12%
3.25–3.49
4%
3.00–3.24
1%
2.50–2.99
2.00–2.49
Below 2.0

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Important
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Not Considered
Application essay Important
Recommendations Important
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
35%
Top quarter
78%
Top half
97%
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
3,885
Offered spot
1,986
Accepted offer
1,441
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 6,017 2,934 48.8% 523
Women 9,936 4,524 45.5% 722
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of San Diego admits 52.4% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
52.4%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
CA (130)
76.5%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of San Diego Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$30,365
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$22,940
Federal Loan Rate
32.4%
Students borrowing federal loans

The University of San Diego's sticker price is $84,912, while the average net price students pay is $30,365. This means the average student pays significantly less than the full cost of attendance.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$84,912
Tuition & Fees
$59,486
70%
Room & Board
$19,918
23%
Books & Supplies
$1,062
1%
Other Expenses
$4,446
5%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$15,586
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,441
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,557
$75,001 – $110,000
$27,012
Over $110,000
$46,989
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
91%
Federal loans
32%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $243.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, University of San Diego costs $30,365 a year — about 34% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$78,720
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
CA (253)
$22,850
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
91.2%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
CA (409)
84.4%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$22,940
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
CA (416)
$10,750
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$30,365
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
CA (503)
$20,807
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of San Diego Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
82.7%
Median Earnings 6yr
$64,995
6 years after entering

University of San Diego has a graduation rate of 82.7%. Graduates earn median salaries of $64,995 six years after entry and $86,522 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$68,941
Men
$62,173
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
82.3%
Pell recipients
84.6%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Finance, General147
Business Administration and Management,...114
Psychology, General99
Marketing/Marketing Management, General94
Communication, General73
Neuroscience70
Biology/Biological Sciences, General68
Political Science and Government, General67
Real Estate57
Computer Science53
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
88.2%
Hispanic
86.1%
White
84.1%
Black
76.5%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering University of San Diego are $77,744, and 81% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former University of San Diego students earn $64,995 — 43% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$86,522
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
CA (462)
$41,247
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$64,995
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
CA (488)
$36,007
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
82.7%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
CA (168)
61.2%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
90.6%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
CA (124)
81.4%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of San Diego Campus, Athletics & Faculty

University of San Diego is a private nonprofit institution located in San Diego, California's large city setting. The student body of 5,671 undergraduates includes 56.5% women, 24.9% first-generation students, and 20.9% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
43%
Asian
7%
Hispanic
27.8%
Black
4.8%
Other Indicators
First-generation
24.9%
Pell grant recipients
20.9%
Women
56.5%
University of San Diego Athletics
Total Revenue
$13.7M
Total Expense
$13.7M
Athletes
472
246 men · 226 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$229,617
Women's sports
$127,655

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$3,481,458
Women's aid
$5,360,951
Academic Resources
524
Full-time faculty
$118,808
Avg faculty salary
6,844
FT staff
$714M
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$124,919
Women (avg)
$112,971
Overall avg
$118,808
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
5,671
Graduate students
3,863
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
8.1%

451 of 5,536 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0%
Undergrads taking any
0%
Grad students fully online
31.9%

0 of 5,726 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 1,080 of 3,384 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

University of San Diego is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
20.9%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
CA (541)
43.5%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$10,756
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
CA (193)
$6,054
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
13:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
CA (559)
19:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at University of San Diego
39 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
1,290 graduates
Business and Marketing 501 grads · 7 majors
Finance, General 147
Business Administration and Management,... 114
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 94
Real Estate 57
Accounting 49
International Business/Trade/Commerce 32
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain... 8
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 150 grads · 3 majors
Neuroscience 70
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 68
Biochemistry 12
Social Sciences 139 grads · 5 majors
Political Science and Government, General 67
Sociology, General 37
International Relations and Affairs 22
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 12
Anthropology, General 1
Engineering 107 grads · 4 majors
Mechanical Engineering 42
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 32
Industrial Engineering 18
Engineering, General 15
Psychology 99 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 99
Communication and Journalism 73 grads · 1 major
Communication, General 73
Computer and Information Sciences 53 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 53
Natural Resources and Conservation 39 grads · 1 major
Environmental Science 39
Multidisciplinary Studies 22 grads · 1 major
Business Analytics 22
Visual and Performing Arts 21 grads · 4 majors
Art/Art Studies, General 12
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
Music, General 3
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
Architecture 19 grads · 1 major
Architectural History and Criticism, General 19
English Language and Literature 18 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 18
Liberal Arts and General Studies 15 grads · 2 majors
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 13
Humanities/Humanistic Studies 2
History 10 grads · 1 major
History, General 10
Physical Sciences 8 grads · 2 majors
Chemistry, General 6
Physics, General 2
Philosophy and Religious Studies 6 grads · 1 major
Philosophy 6
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 5 grads · 1 major
Spanish Language and Literature 5
Mathematics and Statistics 3 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 3
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 2 grads · 1 major
Ethnic Studies 2
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

University of San Diego Location & Campus Safety

University of San Diego is in San Diego, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 5.8 miles from the center of San Diego. There are 10 other colleges within 25 miles, and San Diego, CA is 5.8 miles away.

University of San Diego Other colleges within 30 miles
Large city
Campus Setting
5.8 mi
To City Center
10
Colleges Within 25 mi
1,385,061
San Diego Population
Living in San Diego
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,223
Median Rent / mo
$104,321
Median Household Income
32.2%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
64.2%
Walk
3.4%
Public transit
3%

San Diego County scores 11.8 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 8.1% of San Diego's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near University of San Diego
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
National University 10,794 students 5.5 mi
San Diego State University 35,377 students 7 mi
University of California-San Diego 34,948 students 7.8 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, University of San Diego to each campus

Campus Safety at University of San Diego

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures University of San Diego reported for 2024.

47
On-Campus Offenses
26
In Residence Halls
4.8
Per 1,000 Students
8
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
37
2023
44
2024
47
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
17
Burglary
14
Sexual offenses
10
Aggravated assault
4
Arson
2

Separately, University of San Diego reported 2 arrests and 74 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about University of San Diego admissions, costs, and outcomes.