CSU vs. USD

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

CSU USD
Location Chico, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 14,183 8,815
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #659
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU USD
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $53,810
Room & Board $15,212 $17,010
Avg Net Price $15,517 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 83%

Admission

CSU USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 14,334
Admitted 20,347 7,541
Acceptance Rate 95% 52.6%
Enrolled % 9.9% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.95
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 970/1170
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, 2023 Dec 15, 2023

Academics

CSU USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

CSU USD
Graduation Rate 59% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $175 $236

Diversity

CSU USD
% Men 45% 43%
% Women 55% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 53%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

CSU USD
% In-State 97% 55%
% Out-of-State 2% 40%

Campus

CSU USD
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

  • California State University Chico is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 8,815 students)

CSU vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or USD?

  • University of San Diego is 837.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.4% higher at USD than California State University Chico ($53,810.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Chico than USD ($15,517 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 11.8% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($15,212 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California State University Chico (83% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 297.4% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($36,408 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 233 points higher than at CSU (1003)
  • Incoming USD students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at CSU (3.37)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than USD (52.6%)

CSU vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than California State University Chico (75% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $17,800 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $52,400)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $5,904 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($17,000 vs. $22,904)
  • CSU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($175 vs. $236)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

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