USD vs. Stanford

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

USD Stanford
Location San Diego, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,815 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #2
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD Stanford
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $57,693
Room & Board $17,010 $18,619
Avg Net Price $36,008 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 53%

Admission

USD Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 56,378
Admitted 7,541 2,075
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 3.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1580
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 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

USD Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

USD Stanford
Graduation Rate 75% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $236 $128

Diversity

USD Stanford
% Men 43% 53%
% Women 57% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 37%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 19% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 10%
% International 7% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

USD Stanford
% In-State 55% 35%
% Out-of-State 40% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stanford University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (18,283 students vs. 8,815 students)

USD vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or Stanford?

  • Stanford University is 7.2% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Stanford than University of San Diego ($57,693.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than USD ($18,279 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 9.5% lower than costs at Stanford University ($17,010 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than Stanford University (83% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 66.5% larger than aid received University of San Diego ($60,619 vs. $36,408)

USD vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 243 points higher than at USD (1236)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USD (28)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at USD (3.95)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than Stanford (3.7%)

USD vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than University of San Diego (96% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $52,700 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $70,200)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $10,429 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($12,475 vs. $22,904)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($128 vs. $236)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 78%)

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