University of San Francisco vs California Lutheran University
Nestled in the heart of San Francisco and Thousand Oaks, California, University of San Francisco (USF) and California Lutheran University (CLU) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education. USF, a private Jesuit university, boasts a vibrant urban campus and a diverse student body, while CLU, a private Lutheran university, offers a serene suburban setting and a strong emphasis on liberal arts. With acceptance rates of 69% and 75%, respectively, both universities welcome a substantial number of applicants each year. While USF's student body is more diverse, with 44% of undergraduates identifying as students of color, CLU's student body is predominantly White (69%). Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
|
![]() California Lutheran University |
![]() University of San Francisco |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Thousand Oaks, California | San Francisco, California |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 83.0% | 86.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical | Catholic |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 81.9% | 70.9% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$25
Graduate:
$50
|
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$55
|
SAT range | 1090 - 1290 | 1190 - 1390 |
ACT range | 23 - 28 | 26 - 31 |
Students submitting SAT score | 17.0% | 17.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 5.0% | 11.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,041 | 22,372 |
Total number of admissions given out | 3,311 | 15,867 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 492 | 1,452 |
Yield rate | 14.9% | 9.2% |
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) | Not required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $69,251 | $75,232 |
Average net price | $24,065 | $39,825 |
Tuition | $45,500 | $52,920 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,130
Meal plan:
$6,840
|
Room/dormitory:
$11,030
Meal plan:
$5,110
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
98.0%
Average amount $30,924 |
92.0%
Average amount $31,112 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
53.0%
Average amount $5,462 |
47.0%
Average amount $5,182 |
Students taking out private loans |
5.0%
Average amount $23,023 |
6.0%
Average amount $23,306 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
2,592
Men 46.8% Women 53.2% |
5,969
Men 35.6% Women 64.4% |
Graduate students |
1,174
Men 38.3% Women 61.7% |
4,065
Men 34.0% Women 66.0% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 17.2% | 35.6% |
International students | 6.1% | 12.9% |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,517 | 2,800 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Washington Hawaii Colorado Texas | California Washington Oregon Texas Hawaii |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 14:1 | 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 | 73.8% | 75.6% |
Dropout rate | 4.9% | 7.8% |
Transferred out | 20.8% | 16.4% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
Economics (Master's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.






















































































































































































