San Diego, CA · Private · 5,671 undergraduates · urban
University of San Diego
Selective
USD makes living-learning participation part of its Core by using first-year communities to satisfy a formal academic Integration requirement.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Strong in career outcomes, and strong in academic standing.- Admission
- 46.8% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 81.5%
15,953 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$86,522 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets University of San Diego apart
Academic design
The Core's Integration area requires students to connect disciplinary perspectives and synthesize knowledge rather than complete only separate subject requirements.
Campus pattern
The hilltop campus uses Spanish Renaissance architecture and overlooks Mission Bay, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Pacific coastline.
A signature opportunity
First-Year Integration through Living Learning Communities.
Can I get in?
46.8% admitted
Put the academic record first, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
15,953About 47 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of San Diego, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What University of San Diego weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The Core's Integration area requires students to connect disciplinary perspectives and synthesize knowledge rather than complete only separate subject requirements.
Make institutional fit specific
USD makes living-learning participation part of its Core by using first-year communities to satisfy a formal academic Integration requirement.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at University of San Diego
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Finance and Financial Management Services
Admits separately
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Real Estate
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Marketing
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
University of San Diego beyond the classroom
The hilltop campus uses Spanish Renaissance architecture and overlooks Mission Bay, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Pacific coastline.
A defining academic feature
The Core's Integration area requires students to connect disciplinary perspectives and synthesize knowledge rather than complete only separate subject requirements.
Read the residential pattern
Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.
Daily life follows the campus map
Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.
What shapes an ordinary week
The hilltop campus uses Spanish Renaissance architecture and overlooks Mission Bay, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Pacific coastline.
Turn a direction into participation
The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.
Find the right everyday fit
The hilltop campus uses Spanish Renaissance architecture and overlooks Mission Bay, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Pacific coastline.