Students at the University of San Francisco achieve exceptional long-term earnings that place the institution among the highest-performing universities nationwide for financial outcomes.
Graduates consistently earn far more than similar students at other institutions, with particularly strong results for students from lower-income backgrounds.
The University of San Francisco delivers exceptional long-term financial outcomes that place it among the top-performing private universities nationwide. Students earn a median of $89,812 ten years after enrollment, with graduates consistently outperforming expectations by nearly $14,600 compared with similar students at other institutions. This earnings advantage reflects both the university's strategic location in San Francisco's dynamic economy and its focused academic programs in high-return fields.
USF serves a moderately selective student body, with about 27% of students receiving Pell Grants and 28% identifying as first-generation college students. The university maintains strong graduation rates across income levels, with overall six-year completion reaching 71%. What distinguishes USF is its ability to convert access into meaningful economic mobility, particularly for students from lower-income backgrounds who achieve median earnings of $70,600 ten years out.
As a mid-sized private research university in one of America's most expensive but opportunity-rich metropolitan areas, USF combines the personalized attention of a smaller institution with the career advantages of San Francisco's tech, finance, and healthcare sectors. The university's nursing, business, and computer science programs consistently produce graduates who command premium salaries in competitive regional markets.
The University of San Francisco's program portfolio reflects its strategic positioning in San Francisco's professional economy, with particular strength in healthcare, business, and technology fields that command premium salaries in the Bay Area market. Adult Health Nursing emerges as the university's standout program, graduating 260 students annually with median ten-year earnings of $100,292, capitalizing on the severe nursing shortage and high healthcare wages that characterize the San Francisco metropolitan area.
Business Administration represents USF's largest program footprint with 137 graduates, producing median earnings of $54,594 that reflect entry into San Francisco's competitive corporate and startup ecosystem. Computer Science, while smaller at 66 graduates annually, generates strong returns at $72,796, positioning students for the Bay Area's lucrative technology sector. Even traditionally lower-earning fields like Biology, with 78 graduates earning $34,704, benefit from proximity to biotech companies, research institutions, and graduate school pathways that are abundant in the region.
The concentration in professional and pre-professional programs—nursing, business, and STEM fields—aligns with San Francisco's high-wage economy and helps explain why USF graduates consistently outperform earnings expectations. As a mid-sized institution, the university provides meaningful employer visibility while maintaining program quality that supports strong career placement in competitive regional markets.
The University of San Francisco generates outstanding long-term financial returns for its graduates. Ten years after enrollment, students earn a median of $89,812, placing the university in the 95th percentile nationally for earnings outcomes. Perhaps more impressive is USF's value-added performance—graduates earn nearly $14,600 more than similar students at comparable institutions, demonstrating the university's ability to enhance career prospects beyond what would be expected based on student characteristics alone.
Program-level outcomes vary significantly but trend toward strong financial returns. Adult Health Nursing stands out as USF's highest aggregate-return program, graduating 260 students annually with median ten-year earnings of $100,292, reflecting the premium that San Francisco's healthcare market places on advanced nursing credentials. Business Administration, the university's largest program with 137 graduates, produces median earnings of $54,594, while Computer Science graduates 66 students annually who earn $72,796 in the competitive Bay Area tech sector. Even programs like Biology, which typically show more modest early-career returns at $34,704, benefit from USF's location and alumni network for students pursuing graduate school or specialized career paths.
Graduates enter San Francisco's very high cost-of-living market, where housing and daily expenses significantly exceed national averages, but the region's salary premiums in technology, healthcare, and finance help offset these higher living costs for many career paths.
Affordability represents the University of San Francisco's most significant challenge, with net prices that rank in the bottom 5% nationally for affordability. Low-income students face annual costs of $31,741, while middle-income families pay $34,211, and high-income households see net prices reach $48,576. These figures reflect the realities of private education in an expensive metropolitan market, where operational costs and competitive faculty salaries drive higher pricing structures.
The university's aid strategy focuses on making attendance possible rather than inexpensive, with meaningful grant assistance that reduces sticker prices but still leaves substantial family contributions. For many students, the investment calculation centers on whether USF's strong earnings outcomes and San Francisco networking advantages justify the higher upfront costs compared with more affordable public alternatives.
What helps offset affordability concerns is the university's track record of producing graduates who can service their educational investments. With median ten-year earnings approaching $90,000 and strong early-career trajectory data, most USF graduates achieve income levels that make standard loan repayment manageable, even accounting for San Francisco's elevated living costs.
University Of San Francisco Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
