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Private 4-Year Highly Selective Los Angeles, CA NCAA Division I-FBS

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

9.8%
Acceptance Rate
$95,234/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$32,740/yr
Avg Price After Aid
91.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
20,443
Undergrads

About University of Southern California

University of Southern California is a private nonprofit university with an acceptance rate of 9.8% and undergraduate enrollment of 20,443. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, with a 6-year graduation rate of 91.9%. The cost of attendance is $95,234, and median earnings are $74,461 six years after enrollment and $92,498 ten years after enrollment.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
20,443
Avg Faculty Salary
$163,106
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$8.1B
Pell Students
22.2%
First-Gen
24.7%
What University of Southern California Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Real Estate Development 110 graduates · 1.9% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 189×
Computational and Applied Mathematics 94 graduates · 1.6% of degrees here vs 0.02% nationally 97×
Behavioral Aspects of Health 82 graduates · 1.4% of degrees here vs 0.02% nationally 83×
Management Science 1,346 graduates · 23.4% of degrees here vs 0.38% nationally 62×
Human Biology 278 graduates · 4.8% of degrees here vs 0.1% nationally 48×
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
9.8%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
80,808
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$32,740 avg net
Average net price after aid
$13,516
Under $30K income
$8.1B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$74,461 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
91.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
$18,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

University of Southern California Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
9.8%
80,808 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
9:1
Undergrad instruction

USC is a highly selective private nonprofit university with a 9.8% acceptance rate and 20,443 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and achieves a 91.9% six-year graduation rate.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 10 applicants is admitted · 80,808 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1450–1550
40080012001600
GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
27.1%
3.75–3.99
51%
3.50–3.74
15.3%
3.25–3.49
4%
3.00–3.24
1.6%
2.50–2.99
0.7%
2.00–2.49
0.3%
Below 2.0

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Not Considered
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Very Important
Application essay Very Important
Recommendations Very Important
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
73%
Top quarter
94%
Top half
99%
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 35,879 3,888 10.8% 1,698
Women 44,057 4,110 9.3% 1,890
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Southern California admits 9.8% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
9.8%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
CA (130)
76.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (70)
74.9%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Southern California Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$32,740
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$18,000
Federal Loan Rate
23.6%
Students borrowing federal loans

University of Southern California has a cost of attendance of $95,234. With 22.2% of students receiving Pell grants, affordability varies significantly by income level.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$95,234
Tuition & Fees
$72,097
76%
Room & Board
$19,931
21%
Books & Supplies
$1,200
1%
Other Expenses
$2,006
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$13,516
$30,001 – $48,000
$14,394
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,539
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,976
Over $110,000
$56,116
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
84%
Federal loans
24%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $191.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, University of Southern California costs $32,740 a year — about 45% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$90,300
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
CA (253)
$22,850
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (124)
$28,033
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
84.4%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
CA (409)
84.4%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (202)
86.6%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$18,000
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
CA (416)
$10,750
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (212)
$12,419
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$32,740
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
CA (503)
$20,807
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (257)
$21,840
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Southern California Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
91.9%
Median Earnings 6yr
$74,461
6 years after entering

USC has a 91.9% six-year graduation rate and median earnings of $74,461 at six years post-enrollment and $92,498 at ten years post-enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$78,008
Men
$72,039
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
90%
Pell recipients
91.3%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Management Science1,346
Computer Science352
Human Biology278
Speech Communication and Rhetoric235
Psychology, General223
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics178
International Relations and Affairs124
Political Science and Government, General120
Real Estate Development110
Computational and Applied Mathematics94
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
94.7%
White
92%
Hispanic
90.9%
Black
85.1%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering University of Southern California are $87,601, and 81% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former University of Southern California students earn $74,461 — 64% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$92,498
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
CA (462)
$41,247
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (239)
$41,472
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$74,461
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
CA (488)
$36,007
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (250)
$35,608
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
91.9%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
CA (168)
61.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (94)
62.7%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
96.2%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
CA (124)
81.4%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (68)
80.1%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Southern California Campus, Athletics & Faculty

University of Southern California is a private nonprofit university with an undergraduate enrollment of 20,443 students and a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio. As an NCAA Division I-FBS institution, USC generates $37.1 million in athletic revenue.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
25.5%
Asian
23.3%
Hispanic
20%
Black
7.1%
Other Indicators
First-generation
24.7%
Pell grant recipients
22.2%
Women
52.2%
University of Southern California Athletics
Total Revenue
$37.1M
Total Expense
$37.1M
Athletes
679
342 men · 337 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$1,773,757
Women's sports
$292,861

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$13,196,775
Women's aid
$11,544,552
Academic Resources
2,186
Full-time faculty
$163,106
Avg faculty salary
41,675
FT staff
$8.1B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$178,240
Women (avg)
$142,473
Overall avg
$163,106
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
20,443
Graduate students
25,936

Graduate and professional students outnumber undergraduates here, which shapes class sizes, housing and campus life in ways an undergraduate figure alone doesn't show.

Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
2.9%

586 of 20,386 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0.1%
Undergrads taking any
6.6%
Grad students fully online
22.3%

30 of 21,023 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 5,835 of 26,124 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

University of Southern California is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission and operates its own medical school and teaching hospital.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Southern California spends $25,252 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
22.2%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
CA (541)
43.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (276)
48.4%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$25,252
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
CA (193)
$6,054
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (96)
$5,525
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
9:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
CA (559)
19:1
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (285)
19:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at University of Southern California
118 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
5,760 graduates
Business and Marketing 1,346 grads · 1 major
Management Science 1,346
Visual and Performing Arts 681 grads · 26 majors
Cinematography and Film/Video Production 90
Acting 79
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 74
Music Management 72
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 58
Design and Visual Communications, General 50
Playwriting and Screenwriting 31
Game and Interactive Media Design 28
Digital Arts 25
Dance, General 22
Art/Art Studies, General 19
Music Performance, General 19
Jazz/Jazz Studies 15
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and... 14
Fine/Studio Arts, General 13
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 10
Musical Theatre 10
Music Theory and Composition 9
Voice and Opera 9
Stringed Instruments 8
Keyboard Instruments 6
Music, General 5
Music, Other 5
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other 4
Brass Instruments 3
Visual and Performing Arts, General 3
Social Sciences 549 grads · 10 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 178
International Relations and Affairs 124
Political Science and Government, General 120
Sociology, General 49
Social Sciences, General 29
Political Economy 20
Geographic Information Science and... 12
Anthropology, General 7
Urban Studies/Affairs 7
Archeology 3
Engineering 446 grads · 12 majors
Mechanical Engineering 93
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 73
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and... 61
Industrial Engineering 53
Electrical and Computer Engineering 50
Computer Engineering, General 36
Chemical Engineering 30
Structural Engineering 26
Chemical Engineering, Other 8
Environmental/Environmental Health... 8
Civil Engineering, General 5
Civil Engineering, Other 3
Computer and Information Sciences 415 grads · 4 majors
Computer Science 352
Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation 45
Informatics 17
Human-Centered Technology Design 1
Multidisciplinary Studies 402 grads · 5 majors
Human Biology 278
Cognitive Science, General 64
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 35
Gerontology 20
International/Globalization Studies 5
Communication and Journalism 396 grads · 3 majors
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 235
Journalism 85
Public Relations/Image Management 76
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 278 grads · 10 majors
Neuroscience 90
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 73
Biochemistry 40
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other 28
Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Other 20
Computational Biology 17
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 4
Biotechnology 3
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and... 2
Biophysics 1
Psychology 223 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 223
Architecture 183 grads · 3 majors
Real Estate Development 110
Architectural and Building... 65
Architecture 8
Mathematics and Statistics 162 grads · 3 majors
Computational and Applied Mathematics 94
Financial Mathematics 50
Mathematics, General 18
Health Professions 133 grads · 5 majors
Behavioral Aspects of Health 82
International Public Health/International... 34
Occupational Therapy/Therapist 9
Health Services/Allied Health/Health... 6
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design 2
History 78 grads · 2 majors
History, Other 48
History, General 30
Philosophy and Religious Studies 77 grads · 3 majors
Philosophy, Other 61
Philosophy 15
Jewish/Judaic Studies 1
English Language and Literature 70 grads · 2 majors
Creative Writing 39
English Language and Literature, General 31
Natural Resources and Conservation 64 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Science 52
Environmental Studies 12
Homeland Security and Protective Services 49 grads · 1 major
Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism 49
Public Administration and Social Services 45 grads · 1 major
Public Policy Analysis, General 45
Physical Sciences 45 grads · 5 majors
Physics, General 21
Chemistry, General 18
Astronomy 3
Geology/Earth Science, General 2
Physical Sciences, General 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 42 grads · 7 majors
Spanish Language and Literature 14
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and... 12
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related... 7
French Language and Literature 3
Linguistics 3
Comparative Literature 2
Classics and Classical Languages,... 1
Engineering Technologies 33 grads · 1 major
Engineering-Related Fields, Other 33
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 24 grads · 8 majors
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and... 7
East Asian Studies 6
African-American/Black Studies 3
American/United States Studies/Civilization 2
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and... 2
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 2
Area Studies, Other 1
Asian-American Studies 1
Communications Technologies 14 grads · 1 major
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video... 14
Legal Professions 4 grads · 1 major
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General 4
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 1 grads · 1 major
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

University of Southern California Location & Campus Safety

University of Southern California is in Los Angeles, CA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 7.3 miles from the center of Los Angeles. There are 39 other colleges within 25 miles, and Los Angeles, CA is 7.3 miles away.

University of Southern California
Large city
Campus Setting
7.3 mi
To City Center
39
Colleges Within 25 mi
3,857,897
Los Angeles Population
Living in Los Angeles
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,879
Median Rent / mo
$80,366
Median Household Income
34.7%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
61.4%
Walk
3.1%
Public transit
6.7%

Los Angeles County scores 13.5 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 6.3% of Los Angeles's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at University of Southern California

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures University of Southern California reported for 2024.

359
On-Campus Offenses
33
In Residence Halls
7.7
Per 1,000 Students
58
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
354
2023
338
2024
359
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
278
Sexual offenses
26
Burglary
19
Aggravated assault
16
Robbery
13
Arson
7

Separately, University of Southern California reported 4 arrests and 30 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about University of Southern California admissions, costs, and outcomes.