USD vs. SHU

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

USD SHU
Location San Diego, CA Fairfield, CT
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,815 10,721
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu sacredheart.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD SHU
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $46,310
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $46,310
Room & Board $17,010 $17,520
Avg Net Price $36,008 $45,280
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $19,484
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 99%

Admission

USD SHU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 13,316
Admitted 7,541 8,750
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 65.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.55
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
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

Academics

USD SHU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

USD SHU
Graduation Rate 75% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $59,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $258

Diversity

USD SHU
% Men 43% 35%
% Women 57% 65%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 53% 71%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 19% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 12%

Students

USD SHU
% In-State 55% 23%
% Out-of-State 40% 75%

Campus

USD SHU
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

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. SHU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or SHU?

  • University of San Diego is 16.2% more expensive to attend than SHU for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.2% higher at USD than Sacred Heart University ($53,810.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than SHU ($36,008 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 3% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($17,010 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than University of San Diego (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 86.9% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($36,408 vs. $19,484)

USD vs. SHU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at SHU (3.55)
  • SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.7%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. SHU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Sacred Heart University (75% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $10,500 more per year than SHU graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $59,700)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $2,096 lower median federal student loan debt than SHU graduates. ($22,904 vs. $25,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than SHU graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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