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University of San Diego

7.0(1)
VerifiedPrivate (Not for Profit)Estd. 1949
Founded
1949
Type
Private (Not for Profit)
University Guide

About University of San Diego

Explore overview, courses, fees, admissions, campus life, scholarships and student accommodation guidance in one premium Admistay guide.

University of San Diego is a private institution ranking among the top 100 universities in the US(#93 in US News and World Report). About 9,110 students representing 85 countries and 50 states applied for admission at the University of San Diego. In the new Fall entrance, 1,245 freshmen, 1,133 graduate students, 340 transfers, and 259 JD law students joined the university.

Established in 1949, the University of San Diego currently offers over 43 bachelor's degree courses, 56 minors and 36 graduate degrees. Popular undergraduate courses at the University of San Diego include Business Administration, Finance, Psychology and Marketing. International students seeking admission need to submit a GPA of over 3.74 (92%) and a TOEFL(iBT) score over 90. The university follows a moderately selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 58%.

International students are required to pay around 42.55 lakhs INR as tuition fees for undergraduate programs. Tuition fees for graduate programs at University of San Diego are calculated on a per-unit basis which ranges from 71,172 INR to 1.34 lakhs INR). University of San Diego offers financial aid such as merit-based scholarships and athletic scholarships.

Check Out: University of San Diego (Spanish)

University of San Diego graduates are offered an average starting salary of 47.44 lakhs INR. Top employers who recruited University of San Diego graduates include EY, Deloitte, Amazon, PwC, Boeing, and Walt Disney Company among others. Check: University of San Diego Student reviews

Table of Contents

  1. University of San Diego Programs
  2. University of San Diego Rankings
  3. University of San Diego Enrollment
  4. University of San Diego Campus
  5. University of San Diego Accommodation
  6. University of San Diego Admission
  7. University of San Diego Cost
  8. University of San Diego Scholarships
  9. University of San Diego Alumni
  10. University of San Diego Placements
  11. University of San Diego FAQs

University of San Diego Programs

University of San Diego offers 43 Bachelor's Degree courses and 56 minors, 36 Graduate Degrees, 4 Doctorate courses, and 5 Master of Law Degrees. Programs at the University of San Diego are offered through eight different schools.

Popular undergraduate majors at the University of San Diego include Finance, Business Administration, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering and Psychology.

MBA course at the University of San Diego is available in full-time and part-time formats. The University also offers dual degree programs such as JD/MBA, MSF/MBA in Finance, MS/MBA in Business Analytics and MS/MBA in Supply Chain Management.

The USD Pathway Program offers academically prepared international students the opportunity to be prepared for their chosen course of study.

University of San Diego Top Programs

Top Programs Total Annual Fees Total Annual Fees
Master of Science [M.S], Real Estate ₹ 5121002 USD 61,300
Bachelor of Business Administration [B.B.A], Business Economics ₹ 5469364 USD 65,470
Master of Science [M.S], Health Care Informatics ₹ 4585511 USD 54,890
Master of Laws [L.L.M], Business and Corporate Law ₹ 4714162 USD 56,430
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A] ₹ 4179506 USD 50,030
Bachelor of Arts [B.A], Architecture ₹ 5469364 USD 65,470
Bachelor of Arts [B.A], Behavioral Neuroscience ₹ 5469364 USD 65,470
Bachelor of Arts [B.A], Biophysics ₹ 5469364 USD 65,470
Bachelor of Arts [B.A], Psychology ₹ 5469364 USD 65,470
Master of Science [M.S], Marine Science ₹ 4714162 USD 56,430
Master of Science [M.S], Cyber Security Engineering ₹ 4714162 USD 56,430

University of San Diego Rankings

University of San Diego ranks #1001-1200 as per QS World University rankings 2023. Some other rankings of the University of San Diego are as follows -

  • #93 in National Universities by US News 2022
  • #53 in Best Colleges for Veterans by US News 2022
  • #58 in Best Value Schools by US News 2022
  • #152 in Times Higher Education US College Rankings 2022

University of San Diego Student Enrollment

University of San Diego enrolled a total of 5,529 undergraduate students. Out of this, 5,294 students are full-time undergraduates. 57% of the students are women and 43% are women.

The average age of full-time students at the University of San Diego is 20 years. International students from 51 countries enrolled in the University of San Diego.

Class Profile

The median class size at the University of San Diego is 21. The average GPA submitted by the class is within the range of 3.74-4.20. The average SAT score is 1250.


Source:
University of San Diego

University of San Diego Campus

  • Aquatics, Martial Arts, Golf, and Tennis are a few recreational facilities available on the campus of the University of San Diego.
  • Students enrolled in the university can enlist in student organizations, centers such as United Front Multicultural Commons, Women’s Commons, etc. They can also join campus media like Vista and USDtv, USD Radio, etc.
  • Copley Library at USD has more than 500,000 books, 6,000 media resources, 2,500 print journals and over 125 virtual databases.
  • San Diego is very close to the Mexican border and Cabrillo National Monument. Popular attractions are Old Town, Mission Bay Aquatic Center, etc.

University of San Diego Accommodation

  • There are seven Residence Halls namely Alcala Vistas, Maher, Manchester Village, Valley A, Valley B, San Antonio de Padua, and San Buenaventura.
  • Some of the basic amenities available include Laundry facilities, phone and television services, counselling centre, equipment for badminton, croquet, barbeques, etc
  • The Disability and Learning Difference Resource Center (DLDRC) helps in student accommodation for students having special needs.
  • Students can choose to dine at 5 cafes, coffeehouses, food courts, food trucks, or the on-campus restaurant

Check: Student housing in the US.

University of San Diego Admissions

Applications for undergraduate programs at University of San Diego are accepted through the Common Application portal. In case of postgraduate programs, students can apply through the University's online application portal.

Application Portal:

  • Undergraduate: Common Application
  • Graduate: University online portal

Application Fee: 55 USD

Undergraduate programs application Requirements:

  • Completed Common Application, including USD Member Questions
  • High School Transcripts
  • English language proficiency scores
    • Min. TOEFL-iBT score: 80
    • Min. IELTS score: 6.5
  • Essay
  • Academic letter of recommendation

Note: University of San Diego offers test-free admission for fall 2023 and Spring 2023 applicants.

Graduate Application Requirements:

  • Transcripts and Credentials Evaluations
  • English language proficiency test scores
    • Min. TOEFL score of 83-93
    • Min. IELTS score of 7
  • Standardized test scores (GMAT/GRE scores)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Letters of Recommendation for USA
  • Resume

University of San Diego Cost of Attendance

International students planning to study in the USA should plan their expenses in advance. Estimated tuition fee for undergraduate programs at University of San Diego is 53,810 USD. The table below provides cost of attendance for undergraduate programs at University of San Diego:

Item Costs (per year)
Tuition $53,810
Fees $744
Health insurance $3,370
Housing $11,070
Meal plan $4,450
Total $73,444

Cost breakdown for graduate programs at University of San Diego are as follows:

Item Costs
Graduate Tuition (cost per unit) $900 -$1700
Health insurance $1685
Student fees $345
Off-campus room and board $17,784
Personal necessities $3,924
Books and Supplies $864
Transportation $936

University of San Diego Scholarships

Approximately 77% of students received financial aid from the University of San Diego. The school offers financial aid through merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, and departmental scholarships. These are mentioned below:

Name of the scholarship Amount awarded
Merit Scholarship $18,000–$25,000
Dean’s Graduate Merit Award Tuition costs and other USD expenses
Athletic Scholarship Full tuition and room and board costs
Choral Scholars Award $1,200-$10,000
Music Scholarships $500-$15,000

The below-mentioned schools at University of San Diego also offer graduate scholarships -

  • School of Business
  • Kroc School of Peace Studies
  • Hahn School of Nursing
  • School of Leadership and Education Studies

Students can also access part-time employment on and off-campus through the student employment center at University of San Diego. Check: Part-time jobs in USA

University of San Diego Notable Alumni

Some of the many benefits of being a graduate of University of San Diego are:

  • Toreto Network is a virtual platform for USD alumni to advertise companies and increase their network.
  • Virtual Backgrounds for video calls with the help of scenic college campus
  • Parking Space in Campus
  • Discounts on Fine Arts Events
  • Use of USD Wi-Fi, Sports Center and Outdoor Activities

Distinguished Alumni of USD include:

  • Carlos Bustamante’69: Former Mayor, Tijuana
  • Hon. Olga Alvarez: Judge at Superior Court of California, San Diego County
  • Daniela Alvarado: Clinic Director of Family Health Centers of San Diego
  • Keith Resch’55: Director of Engineering, Sony

University of San Diego Placements

97.6% of students at the University of San Diego received full-time job offers within three months of graduation. University of San Diego graduates are offered a median starting salary of 60,000 USD. Top employers who hired USD graduates include EY, PwC, Deloitte, NBC Universal

Boeing, Amazon, and The Walt Disney Company. The table below shows the average annual starting salary by Industry:

Industry Starting salary
Accounting $62,305
Engineering and design $71,542
Finance and Banking $68,600
Health and Medical $52,760
Marketing, Sales, and Consumer Products $49,417
Real Estate $66,500
Technology $69,604
Public Service/Government/Nonprofit $42,262

Check: Jobs in USA for international students

The career development center at University of San Diego offers a range of tools and resources for undergraduate and graduate students:

  • Handshake - online job portal
  • GradConnection - job/internship opportunities for international students
  • Student Opportunity Center - Information on research opportunities, conferences, funding sources and fellowships
  • Jobscan - resume optimization tool
  • InterviewStream: Video mock interviews for practicing interview skills

USD’s career and internship fairs also help students to navigate through the job search process.

University of San Diego is a private university in the region of San Diego, California. The institution was founded by Mother Rosalie Clifton Hill with the principles of Roman Catholicism. A private university, USD carries forward the mission of advancing academia and knowledge of the Arts while creating a diverse and ethically appropriate community.

FAQs

Ques. What are the admission requirements for MBA?

Ans. Students need to submit the following requirements to complete their application procedure for the MBA program: Completed Application, Professional Resume, 2 Letters of Recommendation, Official Transcripts, GMAT score report, and TOEFL of 92 or higher/ IELTS of 7.0 or higher.

Ques. Which programs are the most famous at the University of San Diego?

Ans. The university is quite famous for its research programs, apart from that some of the popular undergraduate programs at the university include BS/BA Engineering in various concentrations, BBA Marketing, BA- Arts. Some of the famous graduate programs offered at the University of San Diego include Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP, MBA, LLM International Law, and others.

Ques. Does the university offer accommodation facilities to students?

Ans. Yes, the University of San Diego offers accommodation facilities to students in the form of residence halls, approximately 50% of freshmen and 30% of undergraduate students live on campus. Students can directly apply at the housing facilities through online applications.

Ques. How is the admissions decision made?

Ans. The decision is very selective and assessed by a team of professionals, everything from the courses taken to the extra activities performed and the recommendation letters along with essays is considered to be an important part of the admission decision process.

Ques. Where can I find scholarships which are not part of the university?

Ans. International students can also get hold of various scholarships outside of the university through the following sources: Office of financial aid at USD, Professional Organizations, Scholarship Search Engines, Home country organizations

Courses & Fees

Compare courses in a cleaner, easier way

Explore tuition, duration, language, eligibility, and exam requirements without the clutter.

Courses

59

Fee from

₹27,09,745.83

Exams

IELTS · TOEFL

Showing 5 of 35 bachelors

Overview
Degree TypeBachelor
Duration4 years
Study ModeFull Time
LanguageEnglish
Fees
Tuition FeeINR 60 L/Yr
Native FeeUSD 64,100 /Yr
Living Expense₹1329546
Estimated Total₹1329546
Fee trendTuition progression
Official Program Page
Admission Guide

Admission Process

University of San Diego offers admission to international students for Fall and Spring intake.Deadline to apply for bachelor’s programs at University of San Diego Fall intake is December 1, 2022 and October 1, 2022. Application deadline are different for graduate programs. Check: Programs at University of San Diego

Admissions for undergraduate programs at University of San Diego is moderately selective with acceptance rate of 52% (Fall 2021). International students applying at San Diego must submit GPA over 3.9 and TOEFL score of 80+.

  • Programs offered: University of San Diego offers 43 bachelor's degrees, 56 minors and 36 master's degrees. Apart from this, online degrees are also offered for postgraduate programs like MS in Applied Data Science, Ms in Applied Artificial Intelligenc , MS in Cyber Security Engineering, MS in Health Care Informatics.
  • Enrollment Statistics: University of San Diego enrolled 9,041 students including 1,166 freshmen, 342 transfers, 1,075 graduate students, and 260 JD law students in the last intake session. Out of the total student population, 6% are international students from 100 countries across the world. 
  • Application Mode: Prospective candidates can apply through Common application portal for undergraduate programs. In case of graduate programs, candidates can submit their application through the University’s online application portal.

Check Out: University of San Diego Admission (Spanish)

University of San Diego Admission Deadlines 

The institute provides a plethora of courses for international students at undergraduate level. Prospective candidates should note the following admission deadline for Fall 2023 and Spring 2023 -

Intake Regular Decision Deadline
Fall 2023 December 1, 2022
Spring 2023 October 1, 2022

Graduate programs at University of San Diego have varying admission deadlines. Deadlines of some of the top programs offered by University of San Diego are as follows:

University of San Diego Application Deadlines

Program Application Deadline
M.B.A Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Real Estate Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Accountancy & Taxation Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Supply Chain Management Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Health Care Informatics Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Cyber Security Engineering Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Marine Science Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Nursing: Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
L.L.M Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Executive Leadership Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
M.S Legal Studies Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
L.L.M Comparative Law - Taxation Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
L.L.M Business and Corporate Law Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]
L.L.M Taxation Application Deadline For Fall Intake[1 May, 2024]
Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake[16 Oct, 2024]

University of San Diego Undergraduate Admissions

Around 43 bachelor’s degrees offered by University of San Diego along with 56 minors. Some of the popular undergraduate majors at University of San Diego are Finance, Business Administration, Psychology, Marketing, and Behavioral Neuroscience. Admissions for undergraduate courses are competitive at University of San Diego. Last year, the university recorded an acceptance rate of 58%, wherein the enrolled students had academic GPA of 3.95.

The application process and minimum entry requirements for 2023 admission are discussed below:

Application portal: Common Application
Application fee: 55 USD
Application requirements: 

  • Minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
  • High school transcript
  • English Translations (if necessary)
  • Essay
  • Academic Letter of Recommendation (from the high school guidance counselor or teacher)
  • Original SAT or ACT scores (optional)
  • TOEFL-iBT Score of 80

Note: University of San Diego offers test-free admissions for for Fall 2023 and Spring 2023 Applicants. 

University of San Diego Graduate Admissions

Over 36 graduate programs are offered at University of San Diego. In addition, the school offers five LLM degrees, doctorate and dual degree programs. The programs are offered in subjects like International relation, MBA, Supply Chain Management, Taxation, and Computer Science. The university offered admission to 1,075 graduate students from over 100 countries worldwide. 

The admission requirements for University of San Diego graduate programs are as follows:

Application portal: Online portal
Application Fee: 140 USD
Graduate Application requirements: 

  • Official transcript
  • Credential Evaluations
  • International equivalent of US Bachelor's degree
  • Minimum 2-3 letters of recommendation (from undergraduate professors)
  • Cv/Resume
  • Personal Statement and/or essays
  • GRE/GMAT scores (if required for the program)

MBA at University of San Diego

Knauss School of Business at University of San Diego offers MBA in two formats - full and part-time. The full-time MBA program is offered for a duration of 17-22 months. The University conducts multiple application rounds for both full-time and part-time MBA. Applications for MBA at University of San Diego are processed on a rolling basis. 

Application portal - Online
Application Fee - 125 USD
MBA application requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
  • Transcripts credential evaluation
  • English proficiency test scores
    • TOEFL-iBT score of 92 or higher
    • IELTS score of 7.0 or higher
  • 2 years of professional work experience
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • GMAT/GRE score report

Note: International students applying for MBA at University of San Diego are required to submit an official course by course evaluation of transcripts. The evaluations must be ordered from services such as World Education Services, Inc. (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE), International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF), and Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS). 

MS in University of San Diego

All master’s programs at University of San Diego offers admission for Fall intake. A small number of program also offer admission for Spring and/or Summer intake. The table below provides a list of some of the top MS programs at University of San Diego along with their admission requirements: 

Requirements MS Nursing MS Finance Ms in Legal studies MS in Environmental and Ocean Sciences
Application deadlines Spring - November 1, 2021 (closed)
Priority deadline for Fall - March 1, 2022 (closed)
Final deadline: June 30, 2022 (closed)
May 1, 2022 (Closed) Priority deadline : January 15 (closed)
Regular: April 1, 2022 (closed)
Application fee 45 USD 125 USD No fee 140 USD
GPA Min. GPA of 3.0 ‘B’ average or higher GPA of 3.0 and above 3.0 on 4.0 scale
Resume Required Required Required
SOP/LOR SOP Required/ 3 LORs SOP Required/2 letters of recommendation SOP Required/ 2 LORs and Writing sample SOP Required/ 3 LORs
Work experience 1 year of clinical work Not Required Required Not required
GRE/GMAT scores Not required Required Not required GRE required
TOEFL scores 83 and above 92 and above 93 and above 83 and above

US Student Visa Application Process

Applicants who have been offered admission to USD can obtain their visas. A U.S.-based student with E-2 or H-4 doesn’t need to apply again. They should only change their status for the F-1 visa to study in the USA. For this, a visa document will be issued by the University of San Diego.

  • Receiving the I-20 requires
    • Proof of sufficient funds
    • Students must demonstrate that they have enough finances to addorf first year tuition and living expenses
    • Copy of the biographic page of the passport
  • After receiving the visa document, students must carefully complete them and prepare for their visa appointment
  • All necessary documents must be confirmed beforehand as specified by the nearest US Embassy.

Explore: Reasons for USA Visa Rejection!

University of San Diego Admission Decisions

Regular decision applicants will be notified of the decision by April 1st. Candidates for Late Consideration will not be assessed and considered for admission until all Regular Decision candidates have been notified of an admissions decision. For graduate programs, admission decisions are offered within 30-60 days after the final deadline for the program. Thereafter, applicants will receive a formal decision by the Office of Graduate Admissions via mail. 

University of San Diego evaluates applications on the basis of individual backgrounds, talents, and passions. The unique accomplishments and attributes of a candidate are evaluated closely. Essays are an opportunity for the candidate to present their unique story. Candidates are recommended to check their personal emails for important information.

FAQs

Ques. What can I expect in my hybrid classes?

Ans. Please be aware that all spring classes, even those designated as a hybrid, will begin with remote instruction only, per the recent announcement from student affairs.

Ques. I submitted my application by the deadline. When do my supplemental materials need to be submitted?

Ans. While the Common Application itself must be submitted by the actual application deadline (December 15th for Regular Decision and February 1st for Late Consideration), all supplemental materials (i.e. transcript, letter of recommendation) may be received within one week after the deadline.

Ques. Can the GMAT/GRE requirement be waived?

Ans. GMAT/GRE waivers may be granted to MSBA applicants who have a major GPA above 3.5 in an approved field of study (Accounting, Biological Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Information, and Computer Sciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Physical Science, and Statistics).

Ques. How much post-undergraduate work experience is required for an MBA?

Ans. The average amount of work experience for the current cohort of students is 2 years.

Ques. What is the difference between Regular Decision and Late Consideration?

Ans. The main difference between Regular Decision and Late Consideration is that Regular candidates will receive a decision by April 1st. Late Consideration candidates will not be reviewed and considered for admission until all Regular Decision candidates have been notified of an admissions decision.

Placements & Recruiters

University of San Diego Placement Details

University of San Diego in San Diego, California, United States placement details include salary insights, top recruiters, and hiring trends to help students understand career outcomes and campus opportunities.

Students usually compare highest package, average package, and recruiter profile before applying. This section gives a compact overview of career outcomes and placement visibility in San Diego, California, United States.

Recruiters
N/A
Salary Metrics
0/2
Placement Metric

Highest Package

N/A

Represents the top salary package reported in the available placement information.

Placement Metric

Average Package

N/A

Shows the typical package range students may expect based on the available average salary data.

Placement information is currently limited.

More salary or recruiter data may be updated later for this college.

Rankings over the years

Year-wise highlights from global and country rankings available for this university.

2022

Highlights
2022
  • Best overall country rank: #91
  • Business: #59 in country
  • Top source: Bloomberg
  • 2 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Business
  • 3 ranking records in 2022

2023

Highlights
2023
  • Best overall country rank: #86
  • Law: #35 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 3 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Law
  • 2 ranking records in 2023

2024

Highlights
2024
  • Best overall country rank: #38
  • Law: #23 in country
  • Top source: QS
  • 4 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Business
  • 2 ranking records in 2024

2025

Highlights
2025
  • Best overall country rank: #100
  • Law: #25 in country
  • Top source: QS
  • 3 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Law
  • 2 ranking records in 2025

2026

Highlights
2026
  • Best overall country rank: #103
  • Business: #44 in country
  • Top source: QS
  • 3 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Business
  • 2 ranking records in 2026

Contact Information

5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110

+1-619-260-4600

+1-800-207-1710

Student Reviews & Ratings

Overall sentiment and category-wise rating summary

Overall score

7.0/10
Top Rated

Based on 1 rating

Rating Breakdown

Visual summary of rating distribution and categories

Live Summary
Academic
9.0/10
Faculty
8.0/10
Infrastructure
8.0/10
Accommodation
8.0/10
Placement
9.0/10