University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · WestQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Known forUltra-selectiveTop test scoresBig campusVery diverseHigh earnersHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 10, 2026

Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Reading & Writing 720–760 (fall 2024: 710–760)University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26
Entered fall 2024: 95% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 96%)University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

1 in 9 applicants admitted

U. Southern California admits about 1 in 9 applicants (11%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 97% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

11%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Applied

83,488

Admitted

9,345

Yield

40%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.85

SAT middle 50%

1470–1540

10001600

ACT middle 50%

32–35

1836

Applications +58% since fall 2014 · admit rate 18% → 9.8%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 20,443 undergrads, where 22% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

20.4K

undergrads · larger than 95% of colleges

Diversity index

0.81

Pell Grant

22%

below the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Large cityNCAA D-I FBS · Big Ten ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research

More diverse · index 0.77 → 0.81 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Management Science (22% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 59% of faculty are full-time. Spends $49,674 a year on instruction per student.

9 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 84% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $57,793 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $33.5K more than the national median. The 70% who received grants paid $43,412 on average; the other 30% paid the full sticker price of $90,453.

36%

$57.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $33.5K above the national median

Full price: $90,453 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes

Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 36% of full price

Federal loans

24%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost steady · +0% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $92,498 ten years after enrolling, more than at 97% of colleges; 93% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.5 years of that salary.

93%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$92.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$18K

≈ $191/month for 10 years

Retention

95%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 91% → 92% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 10% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 58% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 18% to 9.8%.

Cost
Steady
0% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+58%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 18% → 10% (to fall 2024)
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.77 → 0.81

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Boston University

11% admit · SAT 1475 · 18.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

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Columbia University in the City of New York

4.9% admit · SAT 1539 · 9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

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Cornell University

8.4% admit · SAT 1535 · 16K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

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New York University

9.2% admit · SAT 1520 · 28.7K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26
University of Southern California · Fall 2025; Entered fall 2024; 2024–25; 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-05
4
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
University of Southern California (2026–27)
University of Southern California · 2026–27 · retrieved 2026-10-10
13
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
19
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
20
University of Southern California (2026)
University of Southern California · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 123961 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything