University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
52.4%
Acceptance Rate
$59,486
Avg Cost (In-State)
$59,486
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
82.7%
Graduation Rate
5,671
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to international business collegesBy the numbers
University of San Diego, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
December 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$55
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay required (250-650 words)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$65,669
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$84,943
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
87%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $64,819 | $93,099 | 133 |
| Marketing. | $56,313 | $83,562 | 92 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $51,056 | $79,678 | 88 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $40,776 | $68,913 | 86 |
| Psychology, General. | $35,595 | $74,178 | 57 |
| Political Science and Government. | $33,040 | $62,301 | 55 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | $33,641 | $72,910 | 54 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | $69,240 | $109,142 | 52 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at University of San Diego
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend University of San Diego
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
California Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) — UC
~$25k valueCalifornia's top 9% by their own high school's UC GPA distribution are guaranteed admission to at least one UC campus (not necessarily their first choice).
Who it helps: California residents in the top 9% of their high school class by weighted UC GPA, especially those at less-selective high schools.
How to use: Apply to UC via the system-wide application by November 30. UC determines ELC eligibility automatically from your transcripts.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗Cal Grant
~$14k valueCalifornia's main need-based aid: covers full tuition at UC, CSU, or community college for in-state residents who meet GPA + income thresholds.
Who it helps: California residents attending UC, CSU, or qualifying private/community colleges, with family income under the published Cal Grant cap.
How to use: File FAFSA (or CADAA for undocumented students) by March 2. Confirm your school submits the GPA Verification Form. Award notification by April 30.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
University of San Diego Trustee Scholarship
Full tuition (renewable 4 years)
universityTop USD incoming freshmen via competitive process; 3.85+ GPA + top SAT/ACT; honors program + cohort programming; renewable at 3.3 GPA; flagship merit award.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗University of San Diego Founders Scholarship
$22,000-$30,000/year (renewable)
universityUSD incoming freshmen with strong academic merit below Trustee tier; honors university founders; tiered automatic award; renewable at 3.0 GPA.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗Cal Grant (California)
Up to $14,296/year (Cal Grant A) or $1,656/year (Cal Grant B)
stateCalifornia residents attending eligible California colleges. Based on GPA and financial need via FAFSA/CADAA.
Deadline: March 2
Learn more ↗Cal Poly SLO President's Honors Scholarship
$5,000-$10,000/year
universityTop Cal Poly SLO Honors College freshmen with academic merit.
Deadline: November 30
Learn more ↗San Jose State Honors Scholarship
$2,000-$6,000/year
universityTop SJSU Honors College admits with academic record + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗CA Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Grant
Up to $14,000/year
stateChildren/spouses of CA peace officers, firefighters, or correctional officers killed in line of duty.
Deadline: FAFSA/CADAA
Learn more ↗SDSU President's Scholarship
Up to full cost of attendance for top incoming freshmen at San Diego State
universityMost competitive merit award at SDSU; incoming freshmen with exceptional academic record + leadership; separate application required; HSI campus.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗Cal Poly Pomona Provost's Scholarship
$2,500-$6,000/year for top-tier incoming freshmen
universitySecond-tier merit award at Cal Poly Pomona; competitive academic record; separate application.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Cal Grant C (Career/Technical)
Up to $3,009 (tuition portion)
stateCA residents in occupational/technical training 4 months to 2 years at qualifying CA institutions.
Deadline: March 2
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $15,586 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $17,441 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $19,557 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $27,012 |
| $110,001+ | $46,989 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for University of San Diego →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 52.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
52.38%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
20.9%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
24.9%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
33.2%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
91.4%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
83.7%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From CA community colleges
articulation onlyUSD accepts California community college transfers with a 3.0+ GPA via ASSIST.org articulation. San Diego Mesa College, Grossmont College, and MiraCosta College are the largest feeders. The university participates in the Jesuit/Catholic Transfer Network and offers transfer-specif…
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