University of San Diego
San Diego, California · Private · 5,671 undergraduates · sandiego.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test blind
Scores aren't considered
Admit rate
54%
of 17,468 applicants
Annual cost (2027-28)
$94,710Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at University of San Diego
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
54% of applicants admitted
…
University of San Diego doesn't consider test scores and doesn't publish its freshmen's GPAs, so your chances rest on your courses, grades and the rest of your application.
58% of freshmen had a weighted high school GPA of 4.0 or higher (average 4.02).
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$94,710
a year in 2027-28, from a $94,710 sticker price
What to do with your 1200
Scores aren't considered here
This college doesn't consider SAT or ACT scores, even if you send them.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test blind
SAT and ACT scores aren't considered for admission, even if you send them.
Source: Test-Free Information - Undergraduate Admission - University of San Diego · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan5Early Decision II · January 5, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
54%
of applicants were admitted: 9,359 of 17,468 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 12/15.
Early Decision
Binding.
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 4.02
- 4.058%
- 3.75 to 3.9924%
- 3.50 to 3.7414%
- 3.25 to 3.493.7%
- 3.00 to 3.240.6%
- 2.50 to 2.990.2%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$94,710
a year
- Tuition$66,660
- Fees$1,140
- Food and housing$19,970
- Books and supplies$1,370
- Transportation and other$5,570
University of San Diego published $91,074 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$16,814
- $30,001 to $48,000$17,381
- $48,001 to $75,000$21,109
- $75,001 to $110,000$24,962
- Over $110,000$52,698
Financial aid
85%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$55,710
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
24%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $23,164 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 3/2
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Music Scholarships
$500 to $15,000 a year
Competitive · Application required
Deadline: April 10, 2027 (in-person audition or video submission). To keep it: declare a music major, keep making steady progress, and stay in good academic standing (not on academic probation).
DetailsChoral Scholars Award
$1,200 to $10,000 a year
Competitive · Application required
Deadline: February 1. To keep it: keep making steady progress and stay in good academic standing (not on academic probation), under the music scholarship rules.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
35 of 35
Earn credit with a score of 3
7 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,670Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| African American Studies | 5 | 6 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| Biology | 4 | 3 | Elective Credit |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 150 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 150 & 151 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 4 | MATH 150 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | Elective Credit |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHEM 151 & 152 (3 units each). May receive additional credit for CHEM 151L & 152L (up to 2 units total) with record of lab work. |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | CHIN 201 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS 150 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COMP 291 |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| European History | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| European History | 5 | 6 | HIST 102 & 140 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | FREN 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | GERM 201 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | ITAL 201 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | JAPN 201 |
| Latin | 4 | 3 | LATN 201 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 102 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 101 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | MUSC 120 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 3 | PHYS 291 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 3 | PHYS 291 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 4 | MATH 115 & 118 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYC 101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | SPAN 201 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | SPAN 201 or Lower Division Elective Credit |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 120 |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS 120 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST 117 & 118 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | Lower Division Elective Credit |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 6 | HIST 170 & 171 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
81%
Come back for a second year
91%
Typical earnings
$93,069
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of San Diego$108,232
- All colleges$89,719
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 19 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of San Diego. The University of San Diego logo is a trademark of the college.