University of San Diego vs National University (NU)

Envision yourself pursuing higher education in sunny San Diego, California, where two esteemed institutions await: the University of San Diego (USD) and National University (NU). While both universities offer a vibrant college experience, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your academic journey. USD, a private Catholic university, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 65%, while NU, a private non-profit university, welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 90%. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details, such as popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
National University logo

National University

University of San Diego logo

University of San Diego

Overview

Location La Jolla, California San Diego, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Non Traditional 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 100.0% 92.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 54.5% 52.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 154 14,326
Total number of admissions given out 84 7,550
Admitted students who chose to enroll 38 1,166
Yield rate 45.2% 15.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $36,459 $75,982
Average net price $9,966 $34,155
Tuition $13,320 $52,120
Room & board $16,246
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $8,610
82.0%
Average amount $34,413
Students receiving federal student loan 33.0%
Average amount $5,216
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $12,155

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,648
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
5,702
Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
Graduate students 9,487
Men 28.7% Women 71.3%
3,339
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 45.5%
International students 0.6% 6.2%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 2,484
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Washington Colorado Arizona Nevada

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 46.7% 80.0%
Dropout rate N/A 19.5%
Transferred out 43.3% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,452
  • Year 2: $81,333
  • Year 3: $97,514
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,429
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $94,326
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,563
  • Year 2: $84,367
  • Year 3: $90,127
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,898
  • Year 2: $83,505
  • Year 3: $87,794
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,729
  • Year 2: $71,575
  • Year 3: $82,008
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,709
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $81,966
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,545
  • Year 2: $75,989
  • Year 3: $77,049
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,576
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $76,724
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,716
  • Year 2: $65,238
  • Year 3: $74,055
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,949
  • Year 2: $65,657
  • Year 3: $73,109
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,672
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $115,744
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,123
  • Year 2: $89,672
  • Year 3: $102,690
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,786
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $98,598
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,329
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $93,985
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,367
  • Year 2: $73,391
  • Year 3: $92,346
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,417
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $84,924
Real Estate (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,970
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $84,277
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,809
  • Year 2: $61,962
  • Year 3: $75,083
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,424
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $72,729
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,434
  • Year 2: $61,069
  • Year 3: $72,310

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