University of San Diego vs Santa Clara University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Santa Clara University is the more selective of the two, admitting 47.9% of applicants versus 53.6% at University of San Diego. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $19,557 per year at University of San Diego versus $26,531 at Santa Clara University. University of San Diego's yield rate is 13.9%, versus 17.1% at Santa Clara University.

University of San Diego vs Santa Clara University: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricUniversity of San DiegoSanta Clara University
Overall acceptance rate53.6%47.9%
Avg unweighted GPA3.73.7
Yield rate13.9%17.1%
Class size1,3001,641
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$19,557$26,531
Net price, over $110,000 income$46,989$60,678

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2025–26 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is University of San Diego harder to get into than Santa Clara University?

No. Santa Clara University is more selective: it admits 47.9% of applicants, versus 53.6% at University of San Diego, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, University of San Diego or Santa Clara University?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $19,557 per year at University of San Diego and $26,531 at Santa Clara University, so University of San Diego is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

More comparisons

University of San Diego vs University of San FranciscoFordham University vs Santa Clara UniversityGeorge Washington University vs Santa Clara UniversityLoyola Marymount University vs Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara University vs Southern Methodist UniversitySanta Clara University vs Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Stats compare the schools — the simulation compares you against each school's applicant pool.

Estimate your chances at University of San Diego and Santa Clara University