University of San Diego
San Diego, California · Private Nonprofit · 52.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 88/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of San Diego scores 88 (Strong Value) - a solid result for a private Catholic university with $59,486 sticker tuition. Median 6-year earnings of $54,800 and a 5.1-year payback period are driven by a program mix weighted toward finance, engineering, and business. The 83.7% completion rate is one of the stronger points in the profile. Net price of $30,365 reflects meaningful aid activity; low-income families pay just $15,586 per year. Computer Science leads on earnings at $104,948 year-one and $149,847 year-four, while Finance (175 graduates) and Business Administration (162 graduates) provide strong volume at B-grade ROI.
The median graduate earns $86,522 ten years after entry - well above the national median of roughly $55,000 for 4-year college graduates.
University of San Diego
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $59,486/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $59,486/yr |
| Average net price | $30,365/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $121,460 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $86,522 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $54,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,940 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $243 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 83.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,671 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $59,486/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $30,365/year, or roughly $121,460 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $15,586/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $46,989/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,940 in federal loans, which works out to about $243 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $86,522 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.42, comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg 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 by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $15,586 per year - roughly $62,000 over four years. Against a $54,800 six-year median earnings and 5.1-year payback, this is among the better net price outcomes for low-income students at a private university of this type. USD's aid model does real work in the lowest bracket.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $19,557 and the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $27,012 per year. Middle-income families in the lower range get a strong deal relative to outcomes; those in the upper range pay nearly as much per year as the net price average ($30,365) and should compare USD's program-specific outcomes against local public alternatives.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $46,989 per year - about $188,000 over four years. Against a 5.1-year payback and median earnings of $54,800, the full-pay case is financially sound for finance, CS, and engineering graduates. English and social science students paying full price face a much longer recovery horizon.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of San Diego with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management | $93,099 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $79,678 | B |
| Real Estate | $78,044 | B |
| Psychology | $74,178 | C |
| Marketing | $83,562 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $68,913 | C |
| Biology | $59,950 | C+ |
| International Relations | $62,301 | D |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $72,910 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $91,848 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science (44 graduates) is USD's highest-earning program: $104,948 at year one, $149,847 at year four, with a 0.188 debt-to-earnings ratio and A ROI grade against $19,719 median debt. San Diego's strong tech and defense contractor labor market absorbs CS graduates at high wages. This is a small program; students should confirm enrollment capacity and placement resources.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is USD's largest program at 175 graduates and produces strong outcomes: $64,819 at year one and $93,099 at year four, with a B ROI grade and 0.363 debt-to-earnings ratio. San Diego's financial services sector and USD's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate provide meaningful placement infrastructure. Year-four earnings approaching $93,000 justify the private school price for this program.
Real Estate
Real Estate (125 graduates) earns $54,073 at year one and $78,044 at year four with a B ROI grade. USD's Real Estate program is regionally recognized, and San Diego's active real estate market creates direct placement opportunities. The 0.388 debt-to-earnings ratio is clean for this earnings level.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (162 graduates) earns $51,056 at year one and $79,678 at year four with a B ROI grade and 0.436 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is a large program with solid outcomes - not exceptional, but defensible at USD's net price for students with clear post-graduation career plans in business.
Psychology
Psychology (111 graduates) earns $35,595 at year one and $74,178 at year four with a C ROI grade. The four-year figure of $74,000 is higher than many Psychology programs nationally, possibly reflecting graduate school completions affecting the Scorecard cohort. Year-one earnings of $35,595 against $24,293 median debt and a $30,000+ annual net price make this a weaker financial proposition than the professional programs at USD.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 82.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of San Diego’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 52.4% |
| Enrollment | 5,671 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,201 |
At 52.4%, USD's acceptance rate puts it in the moderately selective private-university tier - below most regional universities but well above the most competitive schools in California. No SAT/ACT data is reported in the Scorecard. USD competes for applicants with schools like Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, and University of Portland; applicants should compare both acceptance rates and financial aid packages across this set.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
USD's peer schools include Stevens Institute of Technology (ROI 91), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ROI 91), and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (ROI 93) - all engineering-heavy schools with stronger STEM concentration that score higher on ROI. USD (88) competes more directly with Loyola Marymount or Santa Clara University, where program mix and Catholic identity are comparable variables. Among Catholic universities in California, USD's 88 ROI score and 5.1-year payback period reflect a school that has built genuinely strong business and STEM tracks alongside a liberal arts core.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of San Diego (this school) | 88 | $30,365 | $86,522 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 93 | $36,228 | $102,051 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | 92 | $41,346 | $108,772 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 90 | $43,071 | $103,470 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
USD admits 52.4% of applicants - a moderately selective private university. No test score data is available in the Scorecard, consistent with test-optional admissions. At 5,671 undergraduates and a 20.9% Pell grant rate, USD serves a predominantly middle- and upper-income student body. Students interested in finance, engineering, real estate, and business will find well-structured programs with good outcomes. Students pursuing humanities or social sciences - particularly English and Sociology - face F and D ROI grades that look poor relative to USD's $30,000+ net price.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, University of San Diego pays off. You'd pay about $30,365 a year after aid ($121,460 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $86,522 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.1 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 83.7% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. A median $22,940 owed against $86,522 in annual earnings is very manageable - comfortably inside the advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.