University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · USC
Private institution in Los Angeles, CA · 20,817 undergraduates · 10% acceptance rate · $92,498 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 1%Median ACT
- Top 2%Acceptance rate
- Top 3%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- Top 3%Graduation rate (4-year)
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $31,9271,790th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $68,2372,038th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $68,2372,038th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $84,6781,975th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $18,000458th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $92,49855th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $74,46188th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 92.0%66th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 96.5%99th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 10.0%34th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 150136th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 349th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 20,817107th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 9.0:1304th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 21.7%1,633rd highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 9 mi (LAX)
On 8 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EDNov 1
- EANov 1
- RDJan 10
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $85
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- Yes
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 84 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $96,183 | $90,602 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $94,851 | $91,986 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $86,621 | $80,567 |
| Real EstateBusiness | bachelors | $84,653 | $71,643 |
| Industrial EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $78,657 | $78,029 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $78,514 | $74,576 |
| Computer Software and Media ApplicationsComputer Science | bachelors | $76,460 | $108,649 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $75,204 | $75,832 |
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $75,204 | $60,546 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $74,244 | $67,420 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | $73,446 | $74,845 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $67,740 | $66,839 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1880source
- Motto: "Palmam qui meruit ferat"source
- Athletic nickname: "Trojans"source
- Mascot: Travelersource
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum seats about 77,500source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- School colors: Cardinal and Goldsource
- Athletic conference: FBSsource
- A [[National Sea Grant College Program institutionsource
- A Sea-grant]] institutionsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
- 2 Nobel laureates affiliatedsource
- Fight song: ""[[Fight On]]""source
- Notable alum: Neil Armstrongsource
- Notable alum: George Lucassource
- Notable alum: John Waynesource
- Notable alum: Mohamed Morsisource
- Notable alum: Diane Keatonsource
Athletics — 13 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $28,643,971 (M $15,118,920 · W $13,525,051)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
- Beach Volleyball: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2017 +1
- Soccer: 2016, 2007
- Water Polo: 2026, 2021, 2018, 2016, 2013 +5
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websiteusc.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 123961)
- Compare colleges in CARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in CaliforniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: University of Southern California vs California State University-FresnoHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 13 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.