University of San Diego vs Vanguard University of Southern California

Envision yourself pursuing higher education in sunny Southern California, where two esteemed institutions await: the University of San Diego (USD) and Vanguard University of Southern California (Vanguard). While both offer exceptional academic experiences, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your decision. USD boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a more diverse student body, while Vanguard maintains a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit community. Explore their contrasting popular majors, from USD's strength in business and engineering to Vanguard's focus on the liberal arts and sciences. Discover the nuances in their graduation rates, reflecting each university's commitment to student success. Delve into the comparison table to uncover further details and determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
University of San Diego logo

University of San Diego

Vanguard University of Southern California logo

Vanguard University of Southern California

Overview

Location San Diego, California Costa Mesa, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Catholic Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 52.7% 69.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $45
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A 980 - 1200
ACT range N/A 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 5.0%
Total number of applicants 14,326 2,917
Total number of admissions given out 7,550 2,013
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,166 500
Yield rate 15.4% 24.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,982 $60,800
Average net price $34,155 $20,427
Tuition $52,120 $37,000
Room & board $16,246
Room/dormitory: $6,588

Meal plan: $5,430
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

82.0%
Average amount $34,413
100.0%
Average amount $27,535
Students receiving federal student loan 33.0%
Average amount $5,216
95.0%
Average amount $5,626
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $12,155
3.0%
Average amount $15,362

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,702
Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
1,975
Men 31.5% Women 68.5%
Graduate students 3,339
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
293
Men 31.4% Women 68.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 45.5% N/A
International students 6.2% 0.2%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,484 1,049
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Arizona Nevada N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 17:1
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 80.0% 61.5%
Dropout rate 19.5% 37.7%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $116,679
  • Year 3: $134,779
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,857
  • Year 2: $91,300
  • Year 3: $89,882
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $60,756
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,112
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $47,596
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,217
  • Year 2: $40,697
  • Year 3: $45,892
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,348
  • Year 3: $42,899
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,413
  • Year 2: $33,043
  • Year 3: $39,397
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $37,493
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $35,701
Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $35,495

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