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. Average 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 roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
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 |
| Average 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, which covers tuition and fees only. 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.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,940, which works out to about $243 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($54,800) and comes to 0.42, which in our view is 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 average earnings and 5.1-year payback, this is a strong net price outcome for low-income students. 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.
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 average 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 possibly reflects 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 | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 82.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of San Diego’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
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. No SAT/ACT data is reported in the Scorecard.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
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.
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.
Median debt of $22,940 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $54,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of San Diego: Common Questions
Is University of San Diego worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students University of San Diego pays off. It scores 88/100 on our ROI scale. 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, so the cost takes roughly 5.1 years to earn back.
How much does University of San Diego cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $30,365 a year, or roughly $121,460 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of San Diego graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $86,522 ten years after enrolling, roughly $44,722 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of San Diego?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.1 years for University of San Diego. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of San Diego graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,940, against average earnings of $54,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of San Diego?
The six-year graduation rate is 83.7%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.