University of San Francisco vs Vanguard University of Southern California
When it comes to higher education, University of San Francisco (USF) and Vanguard University of Southern California (Vanguard) stand out as two distinct institutions with unique offerings. USF, a private Jesuit university located in the heart of San Francisco, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on liberal arts education. On the other hand, Vanguard, a private Christian university situated in Costa Mesa, California, emphasizes faith-based learning and offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() University of San Francisco |
![]() Vanguard University of Southern California |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | San Francisco, 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 | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 86.0% | 75.0% |
![]() |
Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | Protestant |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 70.9% | 69.0% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$55
|
Undergraduate:
$45
Graduate:
$45
|
SAT range | 1190 - 1390 | 980 - 1200 |
ACT range | 26 - 31 | 19 - 25 |
Students submitting SAT score | 17.0% | 12.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 11.0% | 5.0% |
Total number of applicants | 22,372 | 2,917 |
Total number of admissions given out | 15,867 | 2,013 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,452 | 500 |
Yield rate | 9.2% | 24.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $75,232 | $60,800 |
Average net price | $39,825 | $20,427 |
Tuition | $52,920 | $37,000 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$11,030
Meal plan:
$5,110
|
Room/dormitory:
$6,588
Meal plan:
$5,430
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
92.0%
Average amount $31,112 |
100.0%
Average amount $27,535 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
47.0%
Average amount $5,182 |
95.0%
Average amount $5,626 |
Students taking out private loans |
6.0%
Average amount $23,306 |
3.0%
Average amount $15,362 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
5,969
Men 35.6% Women 64.4% |
1,975
Men 31.5% Women 68.5% |
Graduate students |
4,065
Men 34.0% Women 66.0% |
293
Men 31.4% Women 68.6% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 35.6% | N/A |
International students | 12.9% | 0.2% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | City: Midsize |
Dormitory capacity | 2,800 | 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 Oregon Texas Hawaii | N/A |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
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 | 75.6% | 61.5% |
Dropout rate | 7.8% | 37.7% |
Transferred out | 16.4% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
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)
|
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Bachelor's Degrees)
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, General (Bachelor'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.



















































































































































































