Jesuit university in San Francisco's heart, ranked #1 for diversity among national universities.
USF offers 59 major programs across five schools: College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Law, School of Management, and School of Nursing and Health Professions. The university emphasizes small classes with professors rather than graduate teaching assistants, and maintains an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Over 150 academic pathways are available, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and professional certificates. USF's curriculum integrates community-engaged learning and social justice themes aligned with its Jesuit mission.
In 2025, USF accepted 50.1% of undergraduate applicants with an average high school GPA of 3.61. The university is test-optional; among enrolled students, the average SAT score was 1300 (25th–75th percentile: 1200–1380). USF is ranked #1 nationally for campus diversity, with students from 50 states and 111 countries representing 23 faith traditions. Fall 2020 demographics showed 26% Asian, 24% White, 21% Hispanic, 12% foreign national, 11% other, and 6% Black students.
The 55-acre main campus, known as 'The Hilltop,' is divided into Lone Mountain and lower campus. USF also operates satellite campuses in downtown San Francisco, Orange County, Sacramento, San Jose, and Santa Rosa. On-campus housing includes eight residence halls (Fromm, Gillson, Hayes-Healy, Lone Mountain, Lone Mountain East, Pedro Arrupe, Toler, and Loyola Village) plus off-campus options. The university hosts over 100 student clubs, Greek life organizations, performing arts groups (including the 1863-founded College Players theater group), and student media including the San Francisco Foghorn newspaper.
For 2026–2027, undergraduate tuition is $63,880 per year; total estimated cost including fees, housing, and dining is $90,854 annually. According to USF, 98% of fall 2025 incoming students received financial aid with an average aid package of $41,708. The university provides a net price calculator on its website and offers various types of aid to both undergraduate and graduate students.
USF competes in NCAA Division I as a charter member of the West Coast Conference, offering 13 sports including men's and women's basketball, soccer, cross country, golf, tennis, track and field, and baseball/volleyball. The university is historically significant in college athletics: the 1956 men's basketball team went undefeated and won the NCAA championship with three African American starters—a first for major college basketball. USF's 1951 football team produced nine future NFL players, including three Pro Football Hall of Famers. The university reports 96.9% satisfaction among graduating students and ranks in the top 6% nationally for lifetime earnings (Georgetown 2022).