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College

University of San Diego

#10 in Best Catholic Colleges in America
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • 4 Year
  • San Diego, CA
  • 1,782 reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A
  2. Value
    A
  3. Diversity
    A
  4. Campus
    A+
  5. Athletics
    B+
  6. Party Scene
    B+
  7. Professors
    A-
  8. Location
    A
  9. Dorms
    A
  10. Campus Food
    A+
  11. Student Life
    A-
  12. Safety
    B
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USD is a highly rated private, Catholic university located in San Diego, California. It is a mid-size institution with an enrollment of 5,605 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the USD acceptance rate is 50%. Popular majors include Finance, Business, and Marketing. Graduating 82% of students, USD alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $48,300.
About University of San Diego...
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletic Conference
Pioneer Football League
Address
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Website
sandiego.edu

University of San Diego Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
50%
Application Deadline
December 15
SAT Range
1180-1350
ACT Range
26-30
Application Fee
$55
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
No

Test Prep

SAT and ACT Prep Options
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Cost

Net Price
$38,592/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $22,687/ year
  • $30-48k
    $26,523/ year
  • $49-75k
    $27,916/ year
  • $76-110k
    $33,504/ year
  • $110k+
    $43,826/ year
Student Loan Options from Lenders
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Academics

Professors
A-
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
14:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
85%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.120 responses
60%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.131 responses
62%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.133 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Finance
    193 Graduates
  • Business
    143 Graduates
  • Marketing
    124 Graduates
  • Communications
    117 Graduates
  • Accounting
    112 Graduates
  • Biology
    76 Graduates
  • Psychology
    70 Graduates
  • Neuroscience and Neurobiology
    60 Graduates
  • English
    56 Graduates
  • Mechanical Engineering
    50 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
5,605Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
4%
Pell Grant
14%
Varsity Athletes
8%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 83 responses
Report
  • Friendly
    28%
  • Well-off
    25%
  • Priviledged
    19%
  • Rich.
    10%
  • Rich/Privileged/Rude
    7%
  • Spoiled.
    6%
  • Basic and taken care of
    1%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
96%
Poll
48%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.166 responses
Poll
63%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.186 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 80 responses
Report
  • Privileged
    36%
  • Paradise
    16%
  • Successful
    14%
  • Country Club
    10%
  • Academic-driven
    9%
  • Well-rounded
    8%
  • Snobby
    4%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$59,300/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
82%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
92%
National
83%
80%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.66 responses
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University of San Diego Reviews

1,782 reviews
All Categories
Going to the University of San Diego is like going to summer camp year round. By that I mean, half of the time I forget I'm just here for school! The campus is so gorgeous it doesn't feel like a traditional college environment at all, and I love that about it. The class sizes are small, enough so that your professor knows you by name. Being able to develop relationships with my professors has significantly helped my academic success in the classroom. I love everything that this school stands for. They are openly accepting of persons from all races and ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and religions. There are on campus resources for minority groups such as women, women and persons of color, and LGBTQ+. The only thing I think this school lacks is the numbers of students with diversity in race and ethnicity as well as economic backgrounds. This school does much to support diverse communities on campus, but lacks in the actual numbers and representation of these minority communities.
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I just graduated from USD, and man I miss it so much! The campus is stunningly beautiful, the professors actually care about you and know your name, the food is fantastic, and San Diego is such an amazing city. I know some people may think only rich snobby people go here, but I could not disagree more. Although there is wealth present on campus due to the fact that it is a private school in southern CA, there are plenty of down to earth individuals. I myself was given a large scholarship to USD, and I know many others are in the same position. Additionally, so many opportunities were available to me through USD. I am pre-med, and I was able to work in a lab for 3 years and publish my work, have an internship in the trauma department at Scripps Hospital, and SO much more. Greek life is very present on campus as well and I highly encourage going Greek. I chose USD over a top UC for the personalized education and never regretted my decision.
Great school, small class sizes, and engaged professors who are willing to work with you and answer your questions. The campus is beautiful, and if you have the chance to stay in the dorms, do so! I especially recommend Maher Hall for the freshmen and for the upperclassmen, the Manchester Apartments.