USD vs. University of St Thomas

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, CA with University of St Thomas in Houston, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of San Diego is larger than University of St Thomas based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 4,301 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); University of St Thomas is in Houston, TX (Large City setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of St Thomas is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; University of St Thomas 16:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of St Thomas are 45.6% lower than at University of San Diego ($10,840 vs. $19,918).
• Out-of-state tuition is 71.8% higher at USD than at University of St Thomas (about $24,852 more per year; $59,486 vs. $34,634).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of St Thomas than at University of San Diego (93% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 64.5% larger than aid received by University of St Thomas students ($40,965 vs. $24,902).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at USD, test optional at University of St Thomas.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; University of St Thomas Aug 15, 2027.
• Enrolled first-year students at USD average a 3.95 high school GPA, 0.42 higher than at University of St Thomas (3.53).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 29.7% at University of St Thomas.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of St Thomas graduates have a $904 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($22,000 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, University of St Thomas graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($227 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Thomas students, three years after graduation (78% vs. 59%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.