USD vs. SCAD

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

 USD SCAD
Location San Diego, CA Savannah, GA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,815 16,414
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #765
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu scad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USD SCAD
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $39,105
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $39,105
Room & Board $17,010 $15,594
Avg Net Price $36,008 $45,976
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $13,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 98%

Admission

 USD SCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 14,387
Admitted 7,541 11,759
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 81.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 29.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/28
SAT Range 1060/1280
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023

Academics

 USD SCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 USD SCAD
Graduation Rate 75% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $279

Diversity

 USD SCAD
% Men 43% 30%
% Women 57% 70%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 54%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 19% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 0%
% International 7% 15%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 USD SCAD
% In-State 55% 16%
% Out-of-State 40% 72%

Campus

 USD SCAD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (16,414 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. SCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or SCAD?

  • University of San Diego is 37.6% more expensive to attend than SCAD for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $39,105.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.6% higher at USD than Savannah College of Art and Design ($53,810.00 vs. $39,105.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than SCAD ($36,008 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Savannah College of Art and Design are 9.1% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($15,594 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Savannah College of Art and Design than University of San Diego (98% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 176.7% larger than aid received Savannah College of Art and Design ($36,408 vs. $13,157)

USD vs. SCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 172 points higher than at SCAD (1064)
  • Incoming USD students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at SCAD (23)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at SCAD (3.56)
  • SCAD has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. SCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Savannah College of Art and Design (75% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $30,400 more per year than SCAD graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $39,800)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $4,096 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($22,904 vs. $27,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($236 vs. $279)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCAD students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 55%)

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