San Diego State vs. USF

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

San Diego State USF
Location San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 9,688
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #137
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu usfca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State USF
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $54,980
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $54,980
Room & Board $19,714 $16,550
Avg Net Price $13,017 $42,953
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $30,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 96%

Admission

San Diego State USF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 23,103
Admitted 30,331 16,444
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 71.2%
Enrolled % 21.7% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29 27/31
SAT Range 1090/1300 1210/1410
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

San Diego State USF
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

San Diego State USF
Graduation Rate 66% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $70,400
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $158 $258

Diversity

San Diego State USF
% Men 42% 35%
% Women 58% 65%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 27%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 31% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 7%
% International 6% 19%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

San Diego State USF
% In-State 77% 55%
% Out-of-State 21% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than USF based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 9,688 students)

San Diego State vs. USF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or USF?

  • University of San Francisco is 857.5% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($54,980.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 212% higher at USF than San Diego State University ($54,980.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than USF ($13,017 vs. $42,953)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 19.1% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($16,550 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than San Diego State University (96% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 211.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($30,916 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Francisco (1172) is 42 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming USF students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at San Diego State (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or USF? 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 USF and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at USF is higher than San Diego State University (70% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $17,000 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $9,651 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($15,349 vs. $25,000)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($158 vs. $258)
  • More USF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 65%)

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