Very selective
Boston University
Boston, MA
11% admitted · $36,503/yr after aid
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · Large city · Website
- Admission rate
- 9.8%
- Extremely selective
- Average net price
- $33,056
- per year, after aid
- Graduation rate
- 90%
- Median earnings
- $103,420
- 10 years after enrolling
Summary
University of Southern California is a private nonprofit college in Los Angeles, CA with 20,443 undergraduates. It admits 9.8% of applicants, and admitted students average 1495 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $33,056 per year ($17,171 for families earning under $30,000). 90% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $103,420 ten years after enrolling.
private nonprofit college
Admissions
- Admission rate
- 9.8%
- Fall 2024
- Testing policy
- Test optional
- Fall 2024
- Applicants
- 80,808
- Fall 2023
- Admitted
- 8,094
- Fall 2023
- Yield
- 45%
- of admitted students enrolled
Middle 50% of admitted students (Fall 2024). A quarter scored below the band and a quarter above.
SAT Reading & Writing710–760
200800
SAT Math740–790
200800
ACT Composite32–35
136
What University of Southern California looks at
As reported by the college to IPEDS (Fall 2023).
- High school recordRequired
- High school GPARequired
- College-prep courseworkRequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Essay or personal statementRequired
- RecommendationsRequired
- Demonstrated competenciesRequired
- Legacy statusConsidered
- Work experienceConsidered
- English proficiency testRequired
Cost
- Cost of attendance
- $95,048
- sticker price, per year
- Tuition & fees
- $75,162
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k$17,171
- $30–48k$13,736
- $48–75k$18,282
- $75–110k$28,033
- $110k+$59,062
Get a personal estimate with University of Southern California's net price calculator
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 90%
- Freshman retention
- 96%
- Median earnings
- $103,420
- 10 yrs after enrolling
- Median debt
- $17,000
- at graduation
Students
- Undergraduates
- 20,443
- Student–faculty ratio
- 9:1
- Receive Pell grants
- 27%
- White26%
- Hispanic20%
- Black7%
- Asian23%
University of Southern California FAQ
What is University of Southern California's acceptance rate?+
University of Southern California admits 9.8% of applicants, which makes it extremely selective.
What SAT score do you need for University of Southern California?+
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 710–760 on SAT Reading and Writing and 740–790 on SAT Math; the average total is 1495.
What ACT score do you need for University of Southern California?+
The middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students is 32–35.
Is University of Southern California test optional?+
Test optional (considered if submitted).
How many students apply to University of Southern California?+
In Fall 2023, 80,808 students applied to University of Southern California and 8,094 were admitted; 3,633 enrolled.
Does University of Southern California consider legacy status?+
Yes. University of Southern California reported that legacy status is considered in admissions (Fall 2023).
Does University of Southern California require an essay?+
University of Southern California reported that an essay or personal statement is required for admission (Fall 2023).
How much does University of Southern California cost?+
The sticker cost of attendance is $95,048 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,056.
What is University of Southern California's graduation rate?+
90% of full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Sources
- Admission rate, test scores, cost, students, and outcomes: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Most Recent Institution-Level Data), released 2026-10-15. Admissions figures are for Fall 2024, costs for 2024-25, and earnings are measured in 2023.
- Applicants, admitted, yield, and admission factors: IPEDS Admissions survey (ADM2023), Fall 2023.
- IPEDS unit ID 123961 · How we use this data
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