Find Scholarships That Fit You
Want funding for college that doesn't need to be paid back? Explore College Confidential's new scholarship tool and search for scholarships that are tailored to you.
Saved to My Favorites.
View My Favorites
University of Southern California
Los Angeles,
CA
•4-Year Private•
Acceptance Rate13%
Media (2)
About USC
The University of Southern California (USC) is a globally recognized private research university located on a vibrant campus in Los Angeles’ University Park neighborhood. Known for prestigious programs in film, journalism, business and architecture, USC fosters academic excellence across diverse disciplines. Don’t be fooled by the stereotype that most USC students are surfers and sorority girls. USC students are known for being hard-working, ambitious, and they come from a wide-array of backgrounds. The University has more international students than most other U.S. colleges.
USC students are full of “Trojan Pride” and flock to see their D1 football team, the USC Trojans, compete in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference alongside schools like UC-Berkeley and University of Colorado-Boulder. The schools is also know for its large and active alumni network, the Trojan Family, which consists of over 400,000 alumni who are eager to help fellow USC grads navigate their careers.
Fun Fact About USC
USC’s School of Cinematic Arts is the oldest and one of the most prestigious film schools in the United States and has produced many famous alumni, including George Lucas, Will Ferrell, and Shonda Rhimes. USC alumni have collectively received hundreds of Academy Award nominations, and the school's graduates have directed some of the highest-grossing movies in history. The USC campus has appeared in many movies, including the iconic films Forrest Gump, Legally Blonde, and the Graduate.
The CC Community on USC:
“There are other elite private colleges that more closely mirror the overall experience possible at a place like USC… Stanford, Duke, Northwestern and Vanderbilt, for example. But to me and our family, USC still stood apart. They seem to be a very well-oiled machine in almost all regards from my family’s perspective. It is an elite private university, but it has the offerings of a major public university in terms of the entire spectrum of things one might expect at a much larger university… including academics, athletics and the arts. USC is quite frankly only limited by an individual student’s effort and imagination. It can be morphed and molded into whatever form of college experience you are seeking...My daughters graduated in 2018 and 2021. The Trojan Family/Network is real and likely among the strongest and most robust alumni networks globally. Fight On!”
Read More About USC in the CC Community
University of Southern California Overview
University of Southern California is a private, nonprofit school in an urban setting in Los Angeles, California. USC was founded in 1880 and now enrolls around 46,107 students a year, including 19,606 undergrads. USC offers housing for up to 7,600 students. Most students live in off campus housing.
There are many ways for students to get involved at USC! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of USC's theater groups.
Interested in journalism or communications? USC students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.
Thinking of pledging? USC has fraternities and sororities.
Planning to play sports? USC has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at USC on the Student Life page.
Learn more about life at USC on the Student Life page.
Mark your calendar! The deadline to apply regular decision to USC for Fall 2022 is January 15. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should receive admissions decisions by April 1.
| 2021 USC Facts At-A-Glance | |
|---|---|
| Academic Calendar | Semester |
| Overall Acceptance Rate | 16% |
| Early Decision Acceptance Rate | ED not offered |
| Early Action Acceptance Rate | EA not offered |
| Average GPA | 3.8 |
| Applicants Submitting SAT scores | 69% |
| Tuition | $60,446 |
| Percent of Need Met | 99.2% |
| Average First-Year Financial Aid Package | $58,709 |
Is USC a Good School?
Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how selective a school is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.
Let's take a look at all of these areas to get a better idea of what USC offers and if it sounds like a good fit for you.
USC Acceptance Rate 2021
It is extremely difficult to get into USC. In 2021, USC accepted just 16% of all applicants. Out of 59,712 applications received in 2021, 9,618 students were offered admission.
Retention and Graduation Rates at USC
Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.
Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at USC, around 91% return for their sophomore year. Around 92% of students who started at USC earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.
Job Outlook USC Graduates
Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.
Check with USC directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.
USC's Endowment
An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. As of 2021, the total market value of the school endowment was $5.7 billion. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021.
Tuition and Financial Aid at USC
Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. USC meets 99.2% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend USC full-time are awarded $58,709 a year in financial aid, on average.
The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2021 was around $26,850 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.
The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021
Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.
Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at USC. Based on this information, how does USC sound? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is USC a good school for you?
If University of Southern California seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.
Still Searching for Colleges?
To learn more about USC, choose from the options below:
Then use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting admitted to some of the best colleges and universities in the U.S.
Where is USC?
USC is located in the urban setting of Los Angeles, California.
If you want to see USC for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Harbor Freeway to Los Angeles, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Los Angeles International.
You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what USC and Los Angeles are like without leaving home.
Considering Colleges in California?
See a full list of colleges in California and save your favorites to your college list.
College Info
USC Application Deadline
First-Year Applications are Due
Not available
Transfer Applications are Due
Feb 15
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to USC is Feb 15.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
USC SAT Scores
Composite SAT Range
1330 - 1520
Math SAT Range
670 - 780
Reading SAT Range
650 - 740
USC Tuition & Fees
Tuition & Fees
$88,637
In State$88,637
Out-of-State
Cost Breakdown
In State
Out-of-State
State Tuition
$66,640
$66,640
Fees
$1,597
$1,597
Housing
$19,200
$19,200
Books
$1,200
$1,200
Student Life
Wondering what life at USC is like? There are approximately 49,318 students enrolled at USC, including 20,790 undergraduate students and 28,528 graduate students. 97% percent of students attend school full-time, 61% percent are from CA and 39% percent of students are from other states.
97%
Full Time3%
Part Time61%
In State39%
Out-of-StateData Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Quick Facts
Total Enrollment
49,318
Campus Setting
Urban
Acceptance Rate
13%
Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline
Unknown
Find Your Scholarship
Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!
Do You Work at a University?
Claim your page to customize your profile and connect with students!
Need Advice or Have a Question About USC?
Connect with the world's largest college forum for candid, authentic discussion.