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AlmaSpire

San Francisco, CA · Private · 5,287 undergraduates · urban

University of San Francisco

Moderately selective

USF makes San Francisco part of its graduation framework by requiring community-engaged learning alongside its university Core and major.

Vaishakh1234 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Institutional profile

Highly regarded Strong in career outcomes, and solid in mobility.
Academic Solid Affordability Emerging Career Strong Mobility Solid Experience Solid
Academic standing Solid
Affordability Emerging
Career outcomes Strong
Mobility Solid
Student experience Solid
Admission
50.8% admitted

25,709 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Varies across five income ranges

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
76.8%

$89,812 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University of San Francisco apart

Academic design

Undergraduates complete a Core curriculum plus additional requirements that include community-engaged learning, cultural diversity, and language study.

Campus pattern

Hilltop and Lone Mountain facilities sit within San Francisco neighborhoods, so city streets, transit, housing, and community organizations surround daily campus life.

A signature opportunity

Every undergraduate completes an approved community-engaged learning course connecting academic work with organizations or communities beyond the classroom.

Can I get in?

50.8% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

25,709

About 51 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 50.8%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1210–1390
11001500
ACT middle 50%26–31
2334

Of admitted students, 15% submitted an SAT, and 6% submitted an ACT. Scores were rare in this class, so the SAT and ACT ranges say more about who volunteered one than about who was admitted.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA20.7%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of San Francisco, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University of San Francisco 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  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Undergraduates complete a Core curriculum plus additional requirements that include community-engaged learning, cultural diversity, and language study.

02

Make institutional fit specific

USF makes San Francisco part of its graduation framework by requiring community-engaged learning alongside its university Core and major.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Early DecisionNov 1
Early Decision IIJan 15
Early ActionNov 1
Regular DecisionJan 15
Fee and waiver$70 application fee

Fee waiver: accepted

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

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.

Published annual cost$89,298
Average annual cost after aid$41,000
Affordability profileEmerging

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

University of San Francisco publishes one merit award, the largest reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.

Automatic consideration An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year

In the season card

This award, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University of San Francisco

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+ 
Open the price by income

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.

Complete within 8 years76.8%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one81.6%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$89,812

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.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates120
Median earnings$65,071

Finance and Financial Management Services

Recent graduates92
Median earnings$103,605

Admits separately

Biology, General

Recent graduates86
Median earnings$69,440

Marketing

Recent graduates80
Median earnings$91,815

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

University of San Francisco beyond the classroom

Hilltop and Lone Mountain facilities sit within San Francisco neighborhoods, so city streets, transit, housing, and community organizations surround daily campus life.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Undergraduates complete a Core curriculum plus additional requirements that include community-engaged learning, cultural diversity, and language study.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Hilltop and Lone Mountain facilities sit within San Francisco neighborhoods, so city streets, transit, housing, and community organizations surround daily campus life.

Signature opportunity

A reason to look closer

Every undergraduate completes an approved community-engaged learning course connecting academic work with organizations or communities beyond the classroom.

5,287 undergraduatesPacificurban setting77% of first-year students live on campus