1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [University of San Diego](/school/university-of-san-diego/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # University of San Diego Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/university-of-san-diego/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-san-diego/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/university-of-san-diego/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-san-diego/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-san-diego/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do University of San Diego graduates earn? The reported median is $85,309 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $68,250 as its benchmark; the difference is $17,059 per year. University of San Diego delivers strong earnings outcomes for graduates. The return pillar sits in the 89th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completion, graduates earn a median of $85,309, in the 93rd percentile. That figure is above the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $17,059. Graduates earn about $10,612 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 84th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,055. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $557. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,411. A median that clears the peer benchmark combined with earnings that outpace the model's expectation points to a strong return for graduates of this private nonprofit university. Earnings at the university vary widely by program. The earnings scenarios four years after completion run from a downside of $56,920 through a typical outcome of $85,309 up to an upside of $101,233, a wide band that reflects differing fields. The upper half of that band is anchored by business and technical fields. Computer Science completers show $149,847, while Electrical Engineering and Accounting record $110,314 and $109,142. An estimated 31.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. An estimated 31.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the university's program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings figures capture only those working and not enrolled, the median earnings understate the eventual earnings of the sizable share of completers who pursue advanced degrees. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $85,309 **Rank for difference from expectations** 84th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **University of San Diego reported median** $85,309 **Peer schools comparable schools · $17,059 below University of San Diego** $68,250 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $10,612 below University of San Diego** $74,697 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $56,920 to $101,233, around the reported median of $85,309. Compare the lower scenario with [University of San Diego borrowing and monthly payments](/school/university-of-san-diego/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $56,920 **Median · reported** $85,309 **Higher estimate** $101,233 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do University of San Diego graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). University of San Diego graduates’ reported earnings are $10,612 above that expectation, the 84th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending University of San Diego caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,055 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$557 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$10,612 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at University of San Diego report the highest earnings? The University of San Diego's program mix tilts heavily toward business, which accounts for 41.1% of degrees awarded, yet the strongest earnings and ranks span several fields. Accounting shows a median of $109,142 four years after completion with 62 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #22 in its field. Computer Science leads in earnings at $149,847, though it awarded only 29 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Finance—the program with the most degrees awarded, 204—shows a median of $93,099 and ranks #42 nationally. Psychology earns $74,178 with 123 degrees awarded and holds an [Azimuth rank](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) of #8. The spread between a high-earning technical field like Computer Science and a large social-science program like Psychology shows the earnings range across fields. At a university where business and engineering coexist with highly ranked liberal-arts programs, the range of outcomes is wide. The University of San Diego publishes earnings data for 20 bachelor's programs, 19 of which hold an Azimuth national rank. The largest program, Finance, awarded 204 degrees and its completers earn a median of $93,099 four years after completion. It ranks #42 nationally and #3 in California. Several programs sit inside the top fifty nationally. Psychology ranks #8 with 123 degrees awarded and a median of $74,178. Real Estate ranks #8 with 107 degrees awarded and a median of $78,044. Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology awarded 26 degrees, ranks #9 nationally, and has a median of $83,380. English Language and Literature rounds out the top-fifty group, ranking #14 nationally with 25 degrees awarded and a median of $68,752. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Computer Science** $149,847 **Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering** $110,314 **Accounting and Related Services** $109,142 **Finance and Financial Management Services** $93,099 **Mechanical Engineering** $91,848 **International Business** $85,285 **Marketing** $83,562 **Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology** $83,380 [Explore University of San Diego program cohorts and field ranks](/school/university-of-san-diego/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings at University of San Diego depend heavily on field of study, a spread captured in three earnings scenarios: a downside of $56,920, a typical outcome of $85,309, and an upside of $101,233. The highest-earning program, Computer Science, reaches $149,847 four years after completion, while the lowest-earning among the largest programs, Psychology, sits at $74,178. The earnings picture at University of San Diego is strong across the board. Four years after graduating, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $85,309, drawn from a cohort of 1,409. That places the university in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,612 more than the model expects for similar students. The result sits at the 84th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put the typical figure at $85,309, with a downside scenario of $56,920 and an upside scenario of $101,233. An estimated 31.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).