University of San Francisco: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
San Francisco, California · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
University of San Francisco is a private institution located in San Francisco, California with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of San Francisco admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 51%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1313 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $39,495 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of San Francisco is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of San Francisco?
University of San Francisco admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of San Francisco weight in admissions?
University of San Francisco reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Volunteer work
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • First generation status
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores University of San Francisco typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 600–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 645. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1200 |
| 50th percentile | 1300 |
| 75th percentile | 1380 |
| % submitting SAT | 12.39% |
| 25th percentile | 25 |
| 50th percentile | 28 |
| 75th percentile | 30 |
| % submitting ACT | 2.61% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 44% |
| Top 25% of class | 75% |
| Top 50% of class | 92% |
| % submitting class rank | 28.26% |
How much does University of San Francisco actually cost?
Published tuition is $58,222 for in-state students and $58,222 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,300 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $39,495 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $61,720 |
| Room and board | $18,490 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $39,495 |
| Application fee | $70 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of San Francisco
| Regular deadline | January 15 |
| Notification date | March 15 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| ED acceptance rate | 49% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from University of San Francisco?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- Stanford University4% acceptance
- University of California-Berkeley12% acceptance
- University of California-Los Angeles9% acceptance
- University of Southern California10% acceptance
- University of California-Davis42% acceptance
- University of California-Irvine26% acceptance
- University of California-San Diego25% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Barbara63% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of San Francisco
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of San Francisco recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of San Francisco
What GPA do I need for University of San Francisco?
University of San Francisco admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does University of San Francisco typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 600–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 645. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31.
How much does University of San Francisco actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of San Francisco after grants and scholarships is $39,495 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of San Francisco realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of San Francisco is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of San Francisco, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.