San Diego State vs. USF Main Campus

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

San Diego State USF Main Campus
Location San Diego, CA Tampa, FL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 37,402 49,600
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #423
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu usf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State USF Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $4,559
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $15,473
Room & Board $19,714 $12,622
Avg Net Price $13,017 $11,004
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $11,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 87%

Admission

San Diego State USF Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 65,568
Admitted 30,331 28,801
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 43.9%
Enrolled % 21.7% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.64
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/29 24/29
SAT Range 1090/1300 1140/1330
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 May 1, 2024

Academics

San Diego State USF Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

San Diego State USF Main Campus
Graduation Rate 66% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $19,147
Median Loan Payment $158 $197

Diversity

San Diego State USF Main Campus
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 51%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 31% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Diego State USF Main Campus
% In-State 77% 74%
% Out-of-State 21% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than San Diego State based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 37,402 students)

San Diego State vs. USF Main Campus Cost Comparison

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

  • San Diego State University is 25.9% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.9% higher at San Diego State than University of South Florida Main Campus ($17,622.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than San Diego State ($11,004 vs. $13,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Florida Main Campus are 56.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($12,622 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Florida Main Campus than San Diego State University (87% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Florida Main Campus students is 11.4% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($11,066 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. USF Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Florida Main Campus (1177) is 47 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming USF Main Campus 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 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
  • USF Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (43.9%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. USF Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (66% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $6,900 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $46,500)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $3,798 lower median federal student loan debt than USF Main Campus graduates. ($15,349 vs. $19,147)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than USF Main Campus graduates. ($158 vs. $197)
  • More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 57%)

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