USD vs. NEC

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, CA with New England College in Henniker, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of San Diego is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); New England College is in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; New England College 8:1.

USD vs. NEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or NEC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New England College than USD ($27,398 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New England College are 12% lower than at University of San Diego ($17,526 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 41.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than NEC (about $17,548 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 41.8% higher at USD than at New England College (about $17,548 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at New England College than at University of San Diego (99% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 27.6% larger than aid received by New England College students ($40,965 vs. $32,095).

USD vs. NEC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or NEC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between NEC and USD.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; NEC - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 1.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 8.8% at NEC.

USD vs. NEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD and NEC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $30,800 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $4,096 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($22,904 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, USD graduates have an estimated $43 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($236 vs. $279).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.