Quad
U. Southern California
Columbia

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    Columbia costs about $3.1K less per year on average than U. Southern California ($54,653 vs. $57,793, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  2. 2

    Columbia's grants cover 39% of its full price on average, vs. 36% at U. Southern California

    Aid generosity

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
U. Southern California$57.8K
Columbia$54.7K
Aid generosity
U. Southern California36%
Columbia39%
Net price, with grants
U. Southern California$43.4K
Columbia$22.5K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
U. Southern California70%
Columbia52%
Average grant
U. Southern California$46.9K
Columbia$67K
Aid from the college
U. Southern California69%
Columbia52%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
U. Southern California$90.5K
Columbia$89.6K
Sticker price, out-of-state
U. Southern California$90.5K
Columbia$89.6K
Tuition & fees, in-state
U. Southern California$68.2K
Columbia$69K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
U. Southern California$68.2K
Columbia$69K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
U. Southern CaliforniaNot reported
ColumbiaNot reported
What families at each income pay

Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .

Family income per year $150K

  • U. Southern CaliforniaPublished data end at $110K
  • ColumbiaPublished data end at $110K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricU. Southern CaliforniaColumbia
Need-based aid up to Published data end at $110KPublished data end at $110K
Merit for students without need –No merit aid
Published promise No tuition under $80K · 2026–27Families pay nothing toward cost under $66K; No tuition under $150K · 2026–27

A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.

Tuition guarantee & Promise program

MetricU. Southern CaliforniaColumbia
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program YesNo

From the colleges' Common Data Sets

MetricU. Southern CaliforniaColumbia
Aid forms FAFSA · CSS Profile · Noncustodial · Business/FarmFAFSA · CSS Profile · Noncustodial
Aid priority date or deadline February 17 (priority)February 15 (priority)
Need met, first-years 99%100%
Average aid package, first-years $90,648$81,072
College grant dollars given as merit 16%–
Aid for international students 931 students, average $27.6K248 students, average $92.7K

All cost numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;College Scorecard, most recent release;University of Southern California (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent release;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Columbia University in the City of New York Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Columbia University in the City of New York Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);Columbia University in the City of New York (2026–27), 2026–27About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why