Cost & aid
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.
- 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
Cost by family income
Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).
Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.
- Published federal figures
- The college's published promise (2026–27 policy)
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $14K a year |
| $30–48K | $14K a year |
| $48–75K | $20K a year |
| $75–110K | $25K a year |
| $150K | Published data end at $110K |
| $200K | Published data end at $110K |
| $250K | Published data end at $110K |
| $300K | Published data end at $110K |
| $350K | Published data end at $110K |
| $400K and above | Published data end at $110K |
At $150K: Published data end at $110K
Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.
Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.
What can change this
- Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
- Home equity: University of Southern California says it doesn't count it.
- Divorced or separated parents: colleges with their own formula usually ask for both parents' finances.
$57,793
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
70% got grants averaging $46,897; 30% got none.
Who pays what
Share of first-year students, 2023–24.
Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.
$87,887 before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 1% from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$87,887
- Books and supplies$1,200
- Transportation$464
- Other expenses$1,820
- Total for a student living on campus$91,371
$18K
≈ $191/month for 10 years
2.5 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
About 1 in 4 undergrads borrows federally.
Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.
Three years into repayment
Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.
- Paid in full29%
- Paying it down32%
- Payments paused24%
- Not paying it down13%
- Behind or in default3%
- Forgiven or discharged0%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
ModerateGrants cover 36% of the $90,453 full price on average across all first-years (moderate), more than at 40% of colleges.
$32,660 in grants per first-year ÷ $90,453 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (3,630), 2023–24
About 1 in 3 first-year students got no grant aid and paid the full sticker price of $90,453.
Where the aid comes from
Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.
Aid by family income
The whole first-year class (3,630)
- Federal aid + grants1,523avg grant $59.9K
- Grants, no federal aid1,005avg grant $27.2K
- No grants1,102pay full price
Students with grants but no federal aid usually got the college's own need-based aid (without federal loans or Pell) or merit aid.
By family income: only students who received federal aid (1,585 of 3,630), because income is only reported for them.
From University of Southern California's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2024–25.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 38%1,501 students | 43%8,890 students |
| Need met, on average | 99% | 97% |
| Need fully met | 91% | 80% |
| Average aid package | $90,648 | $87,719 |
| Average need-based grant | $56,128 | $53,162 |
| Average need-based loan | $4,472 | $5,415 |
| Merit aid without need | – | 22%average $19,512 |
| Athletic scholarships | – | 550average $52,695 |
16% of the college's own grant dollars were awarded without regard to need.
Each college decides what a family needs, so “100% of need met” can mean different prices at different colleges. Merit awards that went toward a student's need count as need-based here.
Applying for aid
For fall 2026 entrants.
If your parents are divorced or separated, the other parent also files the .
Families who own a business or farm also file a .
Priority date: February 17 · Aid offers: about April 1 · Reply by: May 1
Dates for fall 2026 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
What the college's own scholarships consider
| Academics | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni connection | ✓ | not marked |
| Art | ✓ | not marked |
| Athletics | ✓ | not marked |
| ROTC | ✓ | not marked |
| Leadership | ✓ | not marked |
| Religious affiliation | ✓ | not marked |
A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.
International students
Need-based and merit aid offered.
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;University of Southern California (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)