University of San Diego vs Samford

Nestled in the vibrant city of San Diego, California, and the charming town of Homewood, Alabama, University of San Diego (USD) and Samford University stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning. While both universities offer a rich academic experience, they differ in several key aspects. USD boasts a diverse student body, with a higher acceptance rate and a larger international student population compared to Samford. In terms of academics, USD excels in fields like business, engineering, and nursing, while Samford is known for its strengths in liberal arts, education, and health sciences. Discover more about these universities' unique characteristics, including graduation rates, student life, and available financial aid, by exploring the comprehensive comparison table provided on this page. Whether you're seeking a dynamic urban setting or a close-knit community atmosphere, this comparison will help you make an informed decision about your educational journey.
Samford University logo

Samford University

University of San Diego logo

University of San Diego

Overview

Location Birmingham, Alabama San Diego, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Baptist Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.9% 52.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $45
SAT range 1100 - 1290 N/A
ACT range 23 - 29 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 22.0%
Students submitting ACT score 66.0%
Total number of applicants 4,217 14,326
Total number of admissions given out 3,537 7,550
Admitted students who chose to enroll 920 1,166
Yield rate 26.0% 15.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $53,100 $75,982
Average net price $31,871 $34,155
Tuition $34,410 $52,120
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,150

Meal plan: $5,110
$16,246
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $19,443
82.0%
Average amount $34,413
Students receiving federal student loan 31.0%
Average amount $5,320
33.0%
Average amount $5,216
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $19,317
5.0%
Average amount $12,155

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,607
Men 33.4% Women 66.6%
5,702
Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
Graduate students 2,151
Men 32.3% Women 67.7%
3,339
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 73.0% 45.5%
International students 0.8% 6.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,375 2,484
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Alabama Georgia Tennessee Texas Florida California Washington Colorado Arizona Nevada

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 78.9% 80.0%
Dropout rate 20.9% 19.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,542
  • Year 2: $120,880
  • Year 3: $122,995
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,811
  • Year 2: $99,380
  • Year 3: $104,909
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,528
  • Year 2: $91,363
  • Year 3: $88,884
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,304
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $67,171
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,217
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $64,364
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,785
  • Year 2: $48,667
  • Year 3: $61,547
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,967
  • Year 2: $54,851
  • Year 3: $57,875
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,355
  • Year 2: $54,948
  • Year 3: $54,480
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,947
  • Year 2: $39,585
  • Year 3: $46,442
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,337
  • Year 2: $43,638
  • Year 3: $46,369
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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