USD vs. USC

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

USD USC
Location San Diego, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,815 48,945
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #34
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD USC
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $63,468
Room & Board $17,010 $17,436
Avg Net Price $36,008 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 71%

Admission

USD USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 69,062
Admitted 7,541 8,304
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 12%
Enrolled % 16.4% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 32/35
SAT Range 1450/1550
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, 2023

Academics

USD USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

USD USC
Graduation Rate 75% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $236 $231

Diversity

USD USC
% Men 43% 46%
% Women 57% 54%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 40%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 19% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

USD USC
% In-State 55% 42%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern California is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 17.9% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.9% higher at USC than University of San Diego ($63,468.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than USC ($36,008 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 2.5% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,010 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than University of Southern California (83% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 24.3% larger than aid received University of San Diego ($45,262 vs. $36,408)

USD vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 155 points higher than at USD (1236)
  • Incoming USC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at USD (28)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than USC (12%)

USD vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than University of San Diego (90% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $15,300 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $70,200)
  • University of Southern California students graduate with a $529 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($22,375 vs. $22,904)
  • USC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($231 vs. $236)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 78%)

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