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Is University of San Diego worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for University of San Diego, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
University of San Diego lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $93,069 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $21,250 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, University of San Diego's net price runs about 65% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$37,675
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $14,838 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $59,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
Graduation and earnings data create a stronger long-run payoff picture.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$29,539
Median earnings 10 years out
$93,069
Median debt at graduation
$21,250
Graduation rate
82%
At University of San Diego, a typical graduate carries about $21,250 in student debt and earns roughly $93,069 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $242 per month, or 3% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $60,593 more than the typical working high school graduate in California ($32,476) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
89% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in California ($32,476).
Sociology
Bachelor's degree · 26 working graduates counted
$54,338
$21,862 above the benchmark
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor's degree · 18 working graduates counted
$54,474
$21,998 above the benchmark
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor's degree · 23 working graduates counted
$58,517
$26,041 above the benchmark
Biology, General
Bachelor's degree · 27 working graduates counted
$59,950
$27,474 above the benchmark
International Relations and National Security Studies
Bachelor's degree · 25 working graduates counted
$61,509
$29,033 above the benchmark
Political Science and Government
Bachelor's degree · 41 working graduates counted
$62,301
$29,825 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 31 working graduates counted
$68,752
$36,276 above the benchmark
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor's degree · 97 working graduates counted
$68,913
$36,437 above the benchmark
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Bachelor's degree · 44 working graduates counted
$72,910
$40,434 above the benchmark
Psychology, General
Bachelor's degree · 59 working graduates counted
$74,178
$41,702 above the benchmark
21 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent University of San Diego and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
University of San Diego is a private nonprofit four year school in San Diego, CA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Westmont
Santa Barbara, CA
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $29,343
Private nonprofit 4-year
Concordia University-Irvine
Irvine, CA
Worth-It Score: 58/100
Median net price: $29,761
Private nonprofit 4-year
Scripps
Claremont, CA
Worth-It Score: 80/100
Median net price: $29,998
Private nonprofit 4-year
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Los Angeles, CA
Worth-It Score: 72/100
Median net price: $28,753
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Worth-It Score: 78/100
Median net price: $30,496
Common questions about University of San Diego
The median net price at University of San Diego is $29,539 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in California? See the most affordable private colleges in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at University of San Diego in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$29,539a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →