Private · #98 National University

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA · 5,671 undergraduates

52%
Acceptance rate
1270–1420
SAT middle 50%
28–32
ACT middle 50%
Test-optional
Test policy
84%
Graduation rate
$86,522
Median earnings (10 yr)
✓ Offers merit scholarships

What it may cost by family income

Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $78,720 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.

Household incomeEst. net price / year
Under $30k$15,586
$30k–$48k$17,441
$48k–$75k$19,557
$75k–$110k$27,012
Over $110k$46,989

Sticker cost of attendance: $78,720.

What the whole degree costs

Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.

Household income4 yrs, today's prices4 yrs with increases
Under $30k$62,344$65,694
$30k–$48k$69,764$73,513
$48k–$75k$78,228$82,432
$75k–$110k$108,048$113,854
Over $110k$187,956$198,056

First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask University of San Diego how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.

Applying to a specific major at University of San Diego

52% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.

To find the real figure for your major, check University of San Diego's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.

Engineering Direct admit

At University of San Diego: 62 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $67,324 median earnings (Mechanical Engineering.)

Most engineering colleges admit students directly into the college rather than the university at large, and review them against a separate, usually more selective pool.

Check: Whether you apply to the engineering college directly, and what happens if you are not admitted — some schools offer general admission with a later transfer path, others do not.

Business Direct admit

At University of San Diego: 662 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $61,069 median earnings (Finance and Financial Management Services.)

Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.

Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.

Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at University of San Diego in computer science, nursing, architecture or visual & performing arts, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.

What graduates earn, by major

Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of University of San Diego, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.

MajorMedian earningsMedian debt
Finance and Financial Management Services. · Business $61,069 —
Business Administration, Management and Operations. · Business $47,260 —
Real Estate. · Business $63,005 —
Psychology, General. · Social Sciences $29,685 —
Marketing. · Business $49,797 —
Communication and Media Studies. $38,289 —
Biology, General. · Biological Sciences $33,993 —
Political Science and Government. · Social Sciences $37,208 —
Neurobiology and Neurosciences. · Biological Sciences $28,960 —
Mechanical Engineering. · Engineering $67,324 —
Accounting and Related Services. · Business $61,962 —
International Business. · Business $57,995 —

Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.

Is University of San Diego a reach, target, or safety for you?

Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.

Model my odds & cost — free

Figures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with University of San Diego’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.