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Everything we have for Boston and U. Southern California, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
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| Metric | Boston | U. Southern California |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2024 | Fall 2025Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate | 11% | 11%Fall 2025 |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 11% / 11% | 11% / 9.1% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | Not published | 11% / 9.8% / 14%Fall 2025 |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | Not published | 46% / 35% / 38%Fall 2025 |
| Applicants | 78,769 | 83,488Fall 2025 |
| Admitted | 8,749 | 9,345Fall 2025 |
| Enrolled | 3,268 | 3,759Fall 2025 |
| Yield | 37% | 40%Fall 2025 |
| SAT middle 50% | 1420–1530 | 1470–1540Fall 2025 |
| ACT middle 50% | 32–34 | 32–35Fall 2025 |
| Sent an SAT | 1,093 (33%)Fall 2024 | 33% |
| Sent an ACT | 333 (10%)Fall 2024 | 12% |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | 89%Fall 2024 | 95%Fall 2025 |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | 91%Fall 2024 | 96%Fall 2025 |
| Admission: High school GPA | Required | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Considered | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Required | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Essay | Required | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Legacy status | Not considered | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Work experience | Considered | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Required |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | 3.90Fall 2024 | 3.85Fall 2025 |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | – | 69% (of the 30% with a rank)Fall 2025 |
| Early decision | 28% of 6,854 admittedFall 2024 | Not offered2025–26 |
| Early action | Not offered2024–25 | Offered2025–26 |
| Wait list | 18 admitted of 8,996 who acceptedFall 2024 | No wait listFall 2025 |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Test scores | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Interview | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | – | ImportantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Talent or ability | – | ImportantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: First generation | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Geographic residence | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: State residency | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Volunteer work | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | – | Not consideredFall 2025 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | Test-optional |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Deadlines & deposit | Apply by January 5 · $650 housing depositFall 2025 cycle | Apply by January 10 · reply by May 1 · $800 housing depositFall 2026 cycle |
| Gap year allowed | – | Yes, up to One year, in limited circumstancesFall 2026 cycle |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 35%Fall 2024 | 27%Fall 2025 |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | City: Large | City: Large |
| Carnegie class | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large |
| Research activity | R1: very high research | R1: very high research |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | None | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | None | None |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division I, no football | Division I FBS |
| Conference | Patriot League | Big Ten Conference |
| ROTC | Army, Navy, Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Semesters | Semesters |
| Undergrads | 18,248 | 20,443 |
| Beds in college housing | 11,767 | 8,500 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | – | 3.0%Fall 2025 |
| Women in a sorority | 11%Fall 2024 | 12%Fall 2025 |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | – | Offered2025–26 |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 19% | 22% |
| First-gen | 17% | 25% |
| Men / women | 42% / 58% | 48% / 52% |
| Part-time students | 1% | 2% |
| Students 25 and older | 3% | 61% |
| First-years from in state | 15% | 42% |
| First-years from other states | 62% | 39% |
| First-years from abroad | 23% | 18% |
| New transfer students this fall | 915 | 1,339 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 22% | 28% |
| Diversity index | 0.79 | 0.81 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 | 9 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | 59%Fall 2024 | 60%Fall 2025 |
| Full-time faculty share | 70% | 59% |
| Average faculty salary | $150,038 | $163,106 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 5,291 | 5,778 |
| Most popular majors | Business Administration and Management, General 15% · Computer Science 8% · Psychology, General 5% | Management Science 22% · Computer Science 7% · Human Biology 5% |
| Instruction spending per student | $35,988 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $49,674 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $94,523 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $195,295 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 53% | 37% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $56,196 | $57,793 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 35% | 36% |
| Net price, students with grants | $24,420 | $43,412 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $86,363 | $90,453 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $86,363 | $90,453 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | Yes |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $65,168 | $68,237 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $65,168 | $68,237 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | – | – |
| First-years with grants | 49% | 70% |
| Average grant | $61,848 | $46,897 |
| Aid from the college | 48% | 69% |
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | Families pay nothing toward cost under $75K; No tuition under $200K2026–27 | No tuition under $80K2026–27 |
| Aid forms | FAFSA · CSS Profile · NoncustodialFall 2025 entrants | FAFSA · CSS Profile · Noncustodial · Business/FarmFall 2026 entrants |
| Aid priority date or deadline | January 5 (priority)Fall 2025 entrants | February 17 (priority)Fall 2026 entrants |
| Need met, first-years | – | 99%2024–25 |
| Average aid package, first-years | – | $90,6482024–25 |
| College grant dollars given as merit | – | 16%2024–25 |
| Aid for international students | – | 931 students, average $27.6K2024–25 |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $83,238 | $92,498 |
| Graduation rate | 87% | 93% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 89% | 90% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 88% | 92% |
| Pell graduation gap | 1 pts higher | 2 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | 82%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 79%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | 81%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | 87%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 87%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | 87%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 90% | 92% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 91% | 95% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 86% | 91% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 85% | 85% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 86% | 92% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | 87% | 91% |
| Retention rate | 95% | 95%Entered fall 2024 |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 80% | 83% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 86% | 93% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 9% | 3% |
| Median debt | $23,250 | $18,000 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 23% | 24% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $21,916 | $17,125 |
| Website | bu.edu | usc.edu |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Boston University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Boston University Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;Boston University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycle;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;Boston University Common Data Set 2024–25, Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Boston University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 entrants;Boston University (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent release;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;University of Southern California (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