Doctoral/ProfessionalPrivate (nonprofit)

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Far West·usfca.edu
Acceptance
61.7%
-11.6pp vs Doctoral/Professional
6-yr Graduation
70%
-10.0pp vs Doctoral/Professional
Total enrollment
8,913
peer median 9,714
Avg net price
$41,431
+$6.3k vs Doctoral/Professional
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About

The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, it has nearly 9,000 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in 59 major programs. In addition to its main campus in the Golden Gate area, it has satellite campuses in downtown San Francisco, Orange County, Sacramento, San Jose, and Santa Rosa.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
24,888
24,888 candidates competed
Admitted
15,358
61.7% acceptance rate
Enrolled
920
6.0% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
70%-10.0pp vs Doctoral/Professional
4-year graduation
63%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
70%
Full-time retention
84%

Pell equity

4.4pp gap
Pell recipients
67%278 of 418
Non-Pell (all)
71%801 of 1122
Subsidized loan, no Pell
69%211 of 307
No Federal Aid
72%590 of 815

Non-Pell students graduate at a 4.4-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 93 Title IV programs, 40 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 53 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
93
Passing
40
43.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

93programs
  • Passing40 · 43.0%
  • No Data53 · 57.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
40
No data
53

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

40
Museology/Museum Studies
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+27.9%
$68,582 vs $53,607
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+37.7%
$49,684 vs $36,082
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+38.0%
$49,788 vs $36,082
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+44.4%
$71,471 vs $49,483
Public Health
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+47.0%
$90,920 vs $61,854
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Bachelor Degree · Natural Resources And Conservation
+47.9%
$53,369 vs $36,082
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
Master's Degree · Education
+50.0%
$69,564 vs $46,391
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Master's Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+52.3%
$78,521 vs $51,545

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

34
Law
Doctoral Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
152%
$183,610 debt · $120,485 earn
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
89%
$78,579 debt · $88,276 earn
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
72%
$51,250 debt · $71,471 earn
Museology/Museum Studies
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
68%
$46,296 debt · $68,582 earn
Public Health
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
67%
$60,750 debt · $90,920 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Master's Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
64%
$50,375 debt · $78,521 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
53%
$78,357 debt · $147,482 earn
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
50%
$25,000 debt · $49,788 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

WASC Senior College and University Commission

Accredited since 1949Next review Feb 2029

Programmatic accreditations · 9

Action history · 16

  1. May 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  2. May 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  3. May 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
  4. Feb 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar · Law (LAW) - Professional schools
  5. Mar 2024Removal of Show Cause Status
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$31,537
$30–48k$33,207
$48–75k$34,315
$75–110k$38,933
$110k+$52,497

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$41,431
+$6,312vs Doctoral/Professional median $35,119
Federal loans
46.9%
In-state tuition
$60,492
Out-of-state
$60,492

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 1,804 students received $10.6M in Pell grants, alongside $119.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,804
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$10.6M
$10,560,680 total
Direct Loans
$119.2M
7,982 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
20
2k
21
2k
22
2k
23
2k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$9.2M
2,055 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$7.2M
2,163 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$32.2M
1,667 loan awards
Parent PLUS$26.0M
752 loan awards
Grad PLUS$44.6M
1,345 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 2,309 borrowers who entered repayment, 13 (0.5%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.5%
-1.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
2,309
Defaulted
13
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
2.1%
2017
2.5%
2018
1.5%
2019
0.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at University of San Francisco

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs94
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

2,515 total completions
01Health Professions
47218.8%
02Business
44917.9%
03Psychology
39315.6%
04Computer Sciences
2329.2%
05Social Sciences
2128.4%
06Education
1777.0%
07Legal Professions
1767.0%
08Parks/Recreation
1536.1%
09Communication
1395.5%
10Biological Sciences
1124.5%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
8,913
12-mo unduplicated
10,180
Undergraduate
5,810
Graduate
4,370

Gender split

Men
36%3,687
Women
64%6,493

Race / ethnicity composition

Asian
26.6%
White
22.5%
Hispanic
22.4%
Two or more
10.3%
Non-resident
9.1%
Black
8.1%
Unknown
0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
223
108 M · 115 W
Women athletes
51.6%
Athletic aid
$9.5M
Total student aid
Budget
$27.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$3.6M
$6.0M
Recruiting expense
$241K
$209K
Head-coach salaries
$339K
$168K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 10

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
· 87 W
$1.8M
Soccer
30 M · 29 W
$3.2M
Baseball
40 M ·
$2.1M
Basketball
15 M · 14 W
$10.2M
Volleyball
· 17 W
$1.4M
Golf
8 M · 8 W
$1.6M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
4.88
45 offenses · 9,212 students

3-year trend

4.392 yrs ago5.991 yr ago4.88Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
147
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
37
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
4

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
24
Burglary
7
Rape
6
Aggravated assault
4
Arson
2
Robbery
1
Fondling
1

By location

45total
  • On campus21
  • Public property24

Includes 7 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
6
Dating violence
5
Stalking
11 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons22
Drugs22
Liquor259

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
11.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
437

University of San Francisco vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions University of San Francisco selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectUniversity of San Francisco
70%61.7%8,913$41,431Doctoral/Professional
62%88.4%6,272$22,212R2 Research
91%16.4%15,432$41,704R1 Research
82%65.4%9,760$46,555R2 Research
68%75.9%21,210$30,902R2 Research
77%83.6%8,234$37,730R2 Research
82%59.3%16,150$44,338R2 Research
86%81.7%7,470$35,119Doctoral/Professional
79%45.1%10,179$48,381R2 Research
75%81.6%17,384$36,079R2 Research
83%81.3%11,746$31,487R2 Research
83%62.9%8,976$58,098Doctoral/Professional
70%86.5%2,734$30,378Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
88%48.0%9,728$50,062Doctoral/Professional
76%76.9%7,189$34,662Doctoral/Professional
69%73.3%9,571$31,446R2 Research
80%89.2%3,285$28,210Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
84%52.4%9,714$30,365R2 Research
92%9.8%46,566$32,740R1 Research
Peer group median80%73.3%9,714$35,119

Institutions like University of San Francisco

Explore the federal data for institutions in University of San Francisco's comparison group.

University of San Francisco Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research and Analytics
Reports to Center for Institutional Planning & Effectiveness
Email
oira [at] usfca.edu
Phone
415-422-4928

The Office of Institutional Research and Analytics supports internal decision-making, strategic planning, and external accountability through data collection, analysis, and reporting on enrollment, retention, graduation, faculty and staff, and academic programs.

Visit IR office page
Team
4 members
  • Calypso Tapia
    Senior Institutional Data Analyst
  • Dylan Johnson
    Institutional Data Analyst
  • Kiara Dorion
    Institutional Data Analyst
  • Nathan Cain
    Associate Vice Provost

Common Data Set

University of San Francisco's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
61.7%
Accessible
Yield
6.0%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
8,912
5,321 UG · 3,591 grad
6-yr graduation rate
70%
First-year retention
84%
Student–faculty ratio
11 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$46,339
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
24,888
Admitted
15,358
Enrolled
920

24,888 applied → 15,358 admitted (61.7%) → 920 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
61.7%

Accessible — 61.7% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men59.3%
women62.6%
another gender80.1%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1200
Median
1300
75th
1380

Middle 50% SAT 1200–1380 (median 1300).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
25
Median
28
75th
30

Middle 50% ACT 25–30 (median 28).

High-school class rank

C10
Top tenth44%
Top quarter75%
Top half92%
Bottom half8%
Bottom quarter1%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

Waitlist outcome

C2
Offered
1,327
Accepted spot
768
Admitted
364

1,327 offered a waitlist spot, 768 accepted it, 364 admitted (47.4% of those who stayed on).

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important4
Rigor of secondary school recordAcademic GPAApplication EssayTalent/ability
Important3
Class rankStandardized test scoresRecommendation(s)
Considered8
Extracurricular activitiesCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered3
InterviewState residencyReligious affiliation/commitment

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$86,291
Tuition
$61,72072%
Fees
$5921%
Room & board
$18,49021%
Books
$1,0891%
Other
$4,4005%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $86,291 (2025-2026).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$86,291
Net (aided)
$46,339
Avg need grant
$39,952

Sticker $86,291 → about $46,339 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($39,952); 71% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional60.1%
Self-help17.0%
Parent Loans8.2%
Federal7.6%
State5.2%
External0.8%
Athletic Awards0.6%
Tuition Waivers0.5%

60% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
48%
Avg debt
$38,127

48% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $38,127 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
70%
Retention
84%

6-year graduation rate 70%; first-year retention 84%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students70%
Pell recipients72%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts above the overall rate (72% vs 70%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students101
10-19 students297
20-29 students287
30-39 students179
40-49 students64
50-99 students4
100+ students0

43% of classes have under 20 students; 0% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
11 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
68%
Women faculty
57%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing21.37%
Health professions and related programs19.01%
Social sciences10.32%
Psychology9.21%
Communication/journalism6.71%
Biological/life sciences5.6%
Computer and information sciences5.31%
Natural resources and conservation3.46%

STEM-dominant: ~14% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
asian26.5%
white22.6%
hispanic22.4%
two_or_more_races10.3%
nonresidents9.3%
black8.1%
unknown0.5%
pacific_islander0.2%
native_american0.2%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
494
Share
9%

9% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
5,32160%
Graduate
3,59140%

5,321 undergraduates and 3,591 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,956
Admitted
1,077
Enrolled
274

1,956 transfer applicants → 1,077 admitted (55.1%) → 274 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Reports & documents (2)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of University of San Francisco (25)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Kevin Starr
    Academia
  • Pacita Abad
    Arts and entertainment
  • Richard Egan
    Arts and entertainment
  • Michael Franti
    Arts and entertainment
  • Joe Rosenthal
    Arts and entertainment
  • Suzanne Somers
    Arts and entertainment
  • K.C. Jones
    Athletics
  • Bill Russell
    Athletics
  • Pete Rozelle
    Athletics
  • Alyssa Nakken
    Athletics
  • Jerry Baldwin
    Business
  • Gordon Bowker
    Business
Showing 112 of 25
1 / 3

Frequently asked questions about University of San Francisco

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of San Francisco.

What is the acceptance rate at University of San Francisco?

University of San Francisco's acceptance rate is 61.7% (15,358 admitted from 24,888 applicants), based on the latest IPEDS.

What is the graduation rate at University of San Francisco?

University of San Francisco reports a 6-year graduation rate of 70% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend University of San Francisco?

University of San Francisco reports a total enrollment of 8,913 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at University of San Francisco?

The average net price at University of San Francisco is $41,431 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at University of San Francisco?

University of San Francisco's yield rate is 6.0%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is University of San Francisco located?

University of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, California 94117-1080.

Who runs Institutional Research at University of San Francisco?

University of San Francisco's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research and Analytics, which reports to Center for Institutional Planning & Effectiveness.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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