First-year deadlines, 2026–27
| Plan | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Regular decision The standard deadline, with answers in spring. Not binding. | October 1, 2026 |
| Early action Apply early, hear early, not binding. | November 1, 2026 |
| Early decision Apply early, hear early, and you must enroll if admitted. Binding. | November 1, 2026 |
| Early decision II A second, later early decision round. Also binding. | January 5, 2027 |
| Regular decision | January 15, 2027 |
| Priority deadline Apply by this date for the best chance at aid or a place; later applications may still be read. | February 1, 2027 |
Plans are listed in calendar order. What the plans mean
Source: sandiego.edu · checked September 30, 2026
What families actually pay
Average yearly net price after grants, all students, by family income
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard · data snapshot October 2, 2026
AP credit
Most-taken exams, lowest score that earns credit| Exam | Min score | University of San Diego course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | 20 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab…20 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific and Technological Inquiry. Cannot be applied toward the major. | |
| Chemistry | 3 | 25 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab…25 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific & Technological Inquiry. Not eligible for Quantitative Reasoning competency. | |
| Psychology | 4 | 85 3 PSYC 101 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 35 3 ECON 102 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 34 3 ECON 101 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 93 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…93 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 40 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…40 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Scientific & Technological inquiry | |
| European History | 4 | 43 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…43 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry |
Show all 34 exams and every score level
| Exam | Min score | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | 20 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab…20 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific and Technological Inquiry. Cannot be applied toward the major. | |
| Chemistry | 3 | 25 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab…25 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific & Technological Inquiry. Not eligible for Quantitative Reasoning competency. | |
| Chemistry | 5 | 25 6 -8 CHEM 151 & 152 (3 units each). May…25 6 -8 CHEM 151 & 152 (3 units each). May receive additional credit for CHEM 151L & 152L (up to 2 units total) with record of lab work. Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific & Technological Inquiry and for Quantitative Reasoning competency 151L only. | |
| Psychology | 4 | 85 3 PSYC 101 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 35 3 ECON 102 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 34 3 ECON 101 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 93 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…93 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry | |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 93 6 HIST 170 & 171 Satisfies Historical Inquiry | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 40 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…40 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Scientific & Technological inquiry | |
| European History | 4 | 43 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…43 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry | |
| European History | 5 | 43 6 HIST 102 & 140 Satisfies Historical Inquiry | |
| African American Studies | 4 | 10 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…10 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry | |
| African American Studies | 5 | 10 6 Lower Division Elective Credit Satisfies…10 6 Lower Division Elective Credit Satisfies Historical Inquiry. 3 units can be counted toward Africana Studies minor. | |
| Art: 2D Design | 4 | 15 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to…15 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to apply to major/minor Satisfies Artistic Inquiry | |
| Art: 3D | 4 | 16 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to…16 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to apply to major/minor Satisfies Artistic Inquiry | |
| Art: Drawing Portfolio | 4 | 14 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to…14 3 Lower Division Elective Credit; see chair to apply to major/minor with portfolio review Satisfies Artistic Inquiry | |
| Art: History | 4 | 13 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…13 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Artistic Inquiry or Historical Inquiry | |
| Chinese: Language and Culture | 4 | 28 3 CHIN 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 58 3 POLS 150 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| Computer Sci: Comp Sci A | 3 | 31 3 COMP 294 Does not satisfy Scientific &…31 3 COMP 294 Does not satisfy Scientific & Technological Inquiry | |
| English: Lang and Comp | 4 | 36 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…36 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy First-Year Writing competency | |
| English: Lang and Comp | 5 | 36 3 FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit…36 3 FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit Satisfies First-Year Writing competency | |
| English: Lit and Comp | 4 | 37 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…37 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy First-Year Writing competency | |
| English: Lit and Comp | 5 | 37 3 FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit…37 3 FYW 150 or Lower Division Elective Credit Satisfies First-Year Writing competency | |
| French: Language and Culture | 4 | 48 3 FREN 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| German: Language and Culture | 4 | 55 3 GERM 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Gov-t and Politics: American | 5 | 57 3 POLS 120 Satisfies Social & Behavioral Inquiry | |
| History: American | 4 | 07 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not…07 3 Lower Division Elective Credit Does not satisfy Historical Inquiry | |
| History: American | 5 | 07 6 HIST 117 & 118 Satisfies Historical Inquiry | |
| Italian: Language and Culture | 4 | 62 3 ITAL 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Japanese: Language and Culture | 4 | 64 3 JAPN 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Latin | 4 | 60 3 LATN 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Mathematics: Calc A/B | 3 | 66 4 MATH 150 Satisfies Mathematical Reasoning &…66 4 MATH 150 Satisfies Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving competency | |
| Mathematics: Calc A/B subscore Calc B/C | 3 | 69 4 MATH 150 Satisfies Mathematical Reasoning &…69 4 MATH 150 Satisfies Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving competency | |
| Mathematics: Calc B/C | 3 | 68 8 MATH 150 & 151 Satisfies Mathematical…68 8 MATH 150 & 151 Satisfies Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving Competency | |
| Mathematics: Precalculus | 3 | 65 4 MATH 115 & 118 Math 115 satisfies…65 4 MATH 115 & 118 Math 115 satisfies Mathematical Reasoning and Problem Solving Competency | |
| Mathematics: Statistics | 3 | 90 3 MATH 120 Satisfies Quantitative Reasoning Competency | |
| Music: Theory | 4 | 75 3 MUSC 120 Satisfies Artistic Inquiry | |
| Physics C | 5 | 80 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab…80 3 Elective Credit Must submit record of lab work to be evaluated for Scientific & Technological Inquiry | |
| Spanish: Language and Culture | 4 | 87 3 SPAN 201 Satisfies Second Language competency | |
| Spanish: Literature and Culture | 4 | 89 3 SPAN 201 or Lower Division Elective Credit…89 3 SPAN 201 or Lower Division Elective Credit Satisfies Second Language competency; does NOT satisfy Literary Inquiry |
Source: sandiego.edu · checked September 26, 2026
Biggest majors
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Finance | 147 |
| Business Administration and Management | 114 |
| Psychology | 99 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management | 94 |
| Communication | 73 |
| Neuroscience | 70 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences | 68 |
| Political Science and Government | 67 |
Show the other 31 majors
| Real Estate | 57 |
| Computer Science | 53 |
| Accounting | 49 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 42 |
| Environmental Science | 39 |
| Sociology | 37 |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 32 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce | 32 |
| Business Analytics | 22 |
| International Relations and Affairs | 22 |
| Architectural History and Criticism | 19 |
| Industrial Engineering | 18 |
| English Language and Literature | 18 |
| Engineering | 15 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | 13 |
| Art/Art Studies | 12 |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 12 |
| Biochemistry | 12 |
| History | 10 |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 8 |
| Chemistry | 6 |
| Philosophy | 6 |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 5 |
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts | 4 |
| Mathematics | 3 |
| Music | 3 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 2 |
| Physics | 2 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies | 2 |
| Ethnic Studies | 2 |
| Anthropology | 1 |
Bachelor’s graduates, first major, most recent year · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Ranked programs
Where University of San Diego ranks in the top 25 on our top-programs lists, best rank first. How we rank programs
- #15 for Real estateof 38 colleges
- #20 for International businessof 50 colleges
Scholarships
Scholarships named on University of San Diego’s own pages include Athletic Scholarships; Choral Scholars Award; Music Scholarships.
Amounts and eligibility change; check the college’s page for current details.
Sports and campus life
Men’s varsity · NCAA Division I, Pioneer Football League
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Rowing, Soccer, Tennis
Women’s varsity · NCAA Division I, Pioneer Football League
Basketball, Rowing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field and Cross Country (combined), Volleyball
ROTC
Air Force, Army, Navy
Faith groups
Cru, InterVarsity, Newman Connection
Also
Honors college, Study abroad
Greek life
40% of men in fraternities · 30% of women in sororities · 34% of undergraduates overall (Common Data Set 2025–26)
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education athletics data (EADA), Common Data Set (Greek life), connection.newmanministry.com · checked September 4, 2026 · data snapshot October 2, 2026
The place
Setting
City, large
Federal locale classification
Metro area
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
3,298,799 people
Big-city metro (1 million+)
Yes
More about the place
Nearest airport
San Diego International (SAN)
Nearest hub airport
San Diego International (SAN)
Walkability
EPA walkability index 11.7 of 20
Elevation
215 ft
Time zone
Pacific
January low
47°F
July high
72°F
Annual snowfall
0.0 in
Days at 90°F or higher
0 per year
One-bedroom fair market rent
$2,690 per month
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS locale), U.S. Census metro estimates, NOAA climate normals, HUD fair market rents, EPA walkability · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Colleges nearby
- Point Loma Nazarene University5 mi
- National University6 mi
- San Diego State University7 mi
- University of California-San Diego8 mi
- San Diego Christian College13 mi
- California State University-San Marcos25 mi
Straight-line distance between campuses
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit, city campus, NCAA Division I, similar size
- University of San Francisco5,729 students
- Princeton University5,671 students
- Lehigh University5,811 students
- Wake Forest University5,471 students
- University of St Thomas6,044 students
- Duquesne University5,226 students