University of Southern California: Statistics

Updated:

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Position Category
#27 of 14,131 In the World
#23 of 2,597 In North America
#22 of 2,496 In the United States
#5 of 249 In California
#2 of 31 In Los Angeles
#2 of 1,015 For Game Design and Development
Top100 For 193 other topics
Subject rankings

Quick Review

Acceptance rate
10%
Average SAT
1500
Average ACT
34
Avg. cost to attend
$43,412 /y
Aid receiving
73%
Undergraduates
20,630
Graduates
25,936
Male:Female Ratio
46:54
Control
Private
not-for-profit
Highest Degree
Doctor's degree
Website
usc.edu

University of Southern California Acceptance rate and admissions statistics

University of Southern California has an acceptance rate of 10% and is among the top 3% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.

Total Men Women
Acceptance Rate 10% 11% 9%
Applicants 82,027 36,539 44,530
Admissions 8,050 3,870 4,067
Freshmen enrolled full time 3,487 1,622 1,865
Freshmen enrolled part time 2 1 1

9,437 students enrolled in some distance education courses.

6,077 enrolled exclusively in distance education.

SAT scores

Among admitted applicants
1,191 or 34%
submitted SAT

25% of them
had 1450
or below

75% of them
had 1550
or below

Typical SAT scores of first-years in the University of Southern California are 1450-1550 (middle 50% range).

ACT scores

Among admitted applicants
432 or 12%
submitted ACT

25% of them
had 32
or below

75% of them
had 35
or below

Typical ACT scores of first-years in the University of Southern California are 32-35 (middle 50% range).

Admissions requirements

College-preparatory program Required
Formal demonstration of competencies Required
Recommendations Required
Secondary school GPA Required
Secondary school record Required
TOEFL Required
SAT/ACT Considered but not required
Secondary school rank Considered but not required
Other Tests Neither required nor recommended

Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity

Nonresident Alien 12374 (27%)
White 10186 (22%)
Asian 9200 (20%)
Hispanic 7948 (17%)
Black or African American 2822 (6%)
Two or more races 1977 (4%)
Race or Ethnicity unknown 1900 (4%)
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 84 (0.2%)
American Indian or Alaska Native 34 (0.1%)

Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees

The average net cost to attend University of Southern California is $43,412 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received.

The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.

Net average cost to attend
$43,412/year
Average aid awarded
$46,897
Students receiving aid
73%

Average costs by household income

<$30K $13,516
$30-48K $14,394
$48-75K $19,539
$75-110K $24,976
$110K+ $56,116

Tuition and fees

UndergraduatesGraduates
Tuition in-district $69,904$69,904
Tuition in-state $69,904$69,904
Tuition out-of-state $69,904$69,904
Fee in-district $2,193$1,611
Fee in-state $2,193$1,611
Fee out-of-state $2,193$1,611

Room and board costs

Dormitory capacity 9,200
Combined charge for room and board $19,931
Room charge $12,271
Meal charge $7,660

University of Southern California majors

University of Southern California has granted 5,760 bachelor's degrees across 118 programs, 9,534 master's across 171 programs, and 1,944 doctorate degrees across 80 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at University of Southern California.

Major Bachelor Master Doctoral
Management Science 1,346 777 12
Computer Science 352 1,119 62
Social Work 507 92
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 342 55
Informatics 17 329
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 178 153 13
Educational Leadership and Administration, General 316
Human Biology 278
Occupational Therapy & Therapist 9 169 80
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 235 11 11
Communication and Media Studies, Other 237
Programs for Foreign Lawyers 237
Public Health, General 235
Cinematography and Film & Video Production 90 142
Psychology, General 223 9
Human Resources Management & Personnel Administration, General 222
Law 220
Engineering, Other 219
Digital Communication and Media & Multimedia 209
Business Analytics 208
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical & Space Engineering, General 61 134 6
Mechanical Engineering 93 82 15
Financial Mathematics 50 124
Business Administration and Management, General 173
Dentistry 172
Medicine 172
Pharmacy 170
Public Administration 168
Physical Therapy & Therapist 152
Architectural and Building Sciences & Technology 65 76
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 73 51 15
Journalism 85 52
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 135
Real Estate Development 110 25
Computer Engineering, General 36 91 2
International Relations and Affairs 124 3
Project Management 127
Political Science and Government, General 120 4
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other 123
Counselor Education & School Counseling and Guidance Services 120
Gerontology 20 89 6
Advanced Legal Research & Studies, General 4 110
Health & Health Care Administration & Management 113
Neuroscience 90 20
Engineering-Related Fields, Other 33 72
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 105
Film & Cinema & Media Studies 74 24 5
Applied Psychology 100
Public Policy Analysis, General 45 47 5
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other 95
Music Management 72 23
Computational and Applied Mathematics 94
International Public Health & International Health 34 57
Industrial Engineering 53 28 8
Acting 79 7
Behavioral Aspects of Health 82
Biology & Biological Sciences, General 73 5
Public Relations & Image Management 76 1
Electrical and Computer Engineering 50 25
Marriage and Family Therapy & Counseling 71
Family Practice Nurse & Nursing 67
Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation 45 20
Cognitive Science, General 64
Data Modeling & Warehousing and Database Administration 63
Design and Visual Communications, General 50 13
Higher Education & Higher Education Administration 63
Physician Assistant 63
City & Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 59 3
Philosophy, Other 61 1
Playwriting and Screenwriting 31 30
Structural Engineering 26 33
Criminal Justice & Safety Studies 58
Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General 58
Environmental Science 52 5
Geographic Information Science and Cartography 12 39 4
International and Intercultural Communication 54
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other 52
Pharmacoeconomics & Pharmaceutical Economics 48 4
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language & ESL Language Instructor 50
Chemical Engineering 30 14 5
Cyber & Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism 49
English Language and Literature, General 31 5 13
Sociology, General 49
History, Other 48
International Business, Trade, and Tax Law 48
Game and Interactive Media Design 28 19
Chemistry, General 18 2 26
Multi- & Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 35 11
History, General 30 8 6
College Student Counseling and Personnel Services 43
Business Statistics 42
Artificial Intelligence 40
Biochemistry 40
Creative Writing 39
Hospitality Administration & Management, General 38
Computer and Information Systems Security & Auditing & Information Assurance 37
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects 14 21
Cell & Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other 28 7
Physics, General 21 5 8
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 9 23
Public Policy Analysis, Other 32
Stringed Instruments 8 15 8
Mathematics, General 18 5 7
Pharmaceutical Sciences 25 5
Nutrition Sciences 29
Social Sciences, General 29
Environmental & Environmental Health Engineering 8 15 5
Music Performance, General 19 4 5
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other 28
Voice and Opera 9 13 5
Dispute Resolution 26
Music, Other 5 18 3
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development 20 5
Computational Biology 17 8
Digital Arts 25
Library and Information Science 25
Applied Mathematics, General 16 8
International & Globalization Studies 5 19
Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology 23
Speech-Language Pathology & Pathologist 23
Construction Engineering 22
Dance, General 22
Philosophy 15 7
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 10 6 5
Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 16 5
Urban Studies & Affairs 7 13 1
Bioinformatics 20
Fine & Studio Arts, General 13 7
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other 20
Materials Engineering 20
Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Other 20
Political Economy 20
Systems Engineering 20
Art & Art Studies, General 19
Keyboard Instruments 6 7 6
Jazz & Jazz Studies 15 3
Learning Sciences 18
Crisis & Emergency & Disaster Management 17
Environmental Studies 12 5
Anthropology, General 7 9
Biotechnology 3 13
Marketing & Marketing Management, General 15
Materials Science 7 8
Biostatistics 10 4
Operations Research 14
Spanish Language and Literature 14
Technical Theatre & Theatre Design and Technology 14
Applied Behavior Analysis 13
Comparative Literature 2 5 6
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 12 1
Information Science & Studies 13
Landscape Architecture 13
Molecular Pharmacology 11 2
Music Theory and Composition 9 3 1
Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management 13
Woodwind Instruments 11 2
Behavioral Sciences 12
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 12
Education, Other 12
Microbiology and Immunology 12
Non-Profit & Public & Organizational Management 12
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 12
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 11
Linguistics 3 7 1
Petroleum Engineering 8 3
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods 4 7
Civil Engineering, General 5 3 2
East Asian Studies 6 4
Musical Theatre 10
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other 10
Science, Technology and Society 10
American & United States Studies & Civilization 2 5 2
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other 9
Biomedical Sciences, General 1 8
Geology & Earth Science, General 2 1 6
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 1 8
Rhetoric and Composition & Writing Studies, Other 9
Transportation and Highway Engineering 9
Architecture 8
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other 8
Chemical Engineering, Other 8
Historic Preservation and Conservation, General 8
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other 7 1
Molecular Biology 8
Taxation 8
Cell & Cellular and Molecular Biology 4 3
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 7
Medical Science & Scientist 7
Oncology and Cancer Biology 7
Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory Affairs 3 4
Brass Instruments 3 3
Epidemiology 6
Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General 6
Medical & Health Humanities 6
Urban Education and Leadership 6
Civil Engineering Technologies & Technicians 5
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1 4
Foodservice Systems Administration & Management 5
Music, General 5
Statistics, General 5
Biomedical Technology & Technician 4
Dramatic & Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other 4
Mathematics and Computer Science 4
African-American & Black Studies 3
Archeology 3
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General 3
Astronomy 3
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other 3
Civil Engineering, Other 3
French Language and Literature 3
International Policy Analysis 3
Visual and Performing Arts, General 3
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications 2
Dental Public Health and Education 2
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other 2
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American & Chicano Studies 2
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 2
Pathology & Experimental Pathology 2
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design 2
Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other 2
Religion & Religious Studies 1 1
Religious & Sacred Music 2
Advanced & Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other 1
Area Studies, Other 1
Asian-American Studies 1
Biophysics 1
Chemical Physics 1
Comparative Law 1
Education, General 1
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other 1
Evolutionary Biology 1
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 1
Film & Video and Photographic Arts, Other 1
Human-Centered Technology Design 1
Jewish & Judaic Studies 1
Marine Sciences 1
Music History, Literature, and Theory 1
Musicology and Ethnomusicology 1
Physical Sciences, General 1
Water Resources Engineering 1
Grand Total 5,760 9,534 1,944

University of Southern California has a graduation rate of 92%, which is among the 4% highest for universities in the US.

Total Men Women
Graduation rate 92% 90% 93%
  • Full-time retention rate - 96%
  • Part-time retention rate - 67%

Publications & Citations

University of Southern California is a world-class research university with 256,571 scientific papers published and 10,659,894 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Biology, Medicine, Computer Science, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Genetics, Psychology, and Environmental Science.

Publications
256,571
Citations
10,659,894

Publication / Citation count by topic

Biology
146,034 / 7,027,307
Medicine
140,556 / 6,096,727
Computer Science
111,865 / 4,852,029
Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
105,672 / 4,280,079
Chemistry
104,252 / 5,180,761
Engineering
100,168 / 4,135,973
Physics
89,386 / 3,697,913
Genetics
80,030 / 4,200,272
Psychology
74,742 / 3,277,092
Environmental Science
71,652 / 3,056,647
Biochemistry
66,401 / 3,710,823
Pathology
64,771 / 2,985,493
Mathematics
56,598 / 2,506,974
Quantum and Particle physics
54,290 / 2,199,476
Political Science
50,423 / 1,935,084
Law
47,799 / 1,882,287
Philosophy
46,535 / 1,959,841
Sociology
46,010 / 1,892,655
Statistics
45,753 / 2,064,352
Surgery
44,773 / 1,822,208
Psychiatry
41,914 / 1,860,389
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
39,349 / 1,640,183
Organic Chemistry
38,899 / 1,866,604
Geology
38,395 / 1,755,809
Geography and Cartography
37,001 / 1,497,763
Materials Science
36,696 / 1,502,587
Business
36,072 / 1,627,645
Neuroscience
31,157 / 1,450,348
Radiology and Nuclear medicine
28,772 / 1,051,125
Optical Engineering
28,124 / 1,126,626
Economics
27,353 / 1,108,691
History
26,199 / 969,076
Immunology
25,669 / 1,273,963
Paleontology
25,649 / 1,229,454
Linguistics
24,903 / 1,078,827
Oncology and Cancer research
24,681 / 1,304,122
Ecology
23,263 / 1,101,989
Public Health
22,471 / 1,062,937
Electrical Engineering
21,696 / 784,578
Machine Learning
21,407 / 948,071

Annual publication & citation counts

Year Publications Citations
1993 2667 47277
1994 2584 50398
1995 2618 56198
1996 2838 60805
1997 2961 65647
1998 2913 73281
1999 3008 79915
2000 3169 92502
2001 3232 101045
2002 5269 135877
2003 4946 140168
2004 4753 151445
2005 5506 177118
2006 5499 198006
2007 5322 214866
2008 5629 239579
2009 5896 262034
2010 6755 288152
2011 6893 313959
2012 7191 346410
2013 7406 373063
2014 8085 402221
2015 8419 426114
2016 8340 432984
2017 8821 465150
2018 9453 495070
2019 10203 549002
2020 13848 650446
2021 11395 710592
2022 10615 662768
2023 11185 682834
2024 9972 662099
2025 7777 583181
Academic rankings

University of Southern California alumni

  1. Zac Efron

    Zac Efron
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1987-.. (age 39)
    Occupations
    film actordisc jockeystage actortelevision actorsinger
    Biography

    Zachary David Alexander Efron is an American actor. Efron began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical film series (2006–2008). During this time, he also starred in the musical film Hairspray (2007) and the comedy film 17 Again (2009).

  2. Neil Armstrong

    Neil Armstrong
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1930-2012 (aged 82)
    Enrolled in the University of Southern California
    In 1970 graduated with Master of Science in aerospace engineering
    Occupations
    university teachertest pilotUnited States Naval Aviatormilitary flight engineerastronaut
    Biography

    Neil Alden Armstrong was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who, as the commander of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot and university professor.

  3. Diane Keaton

    Diane Keaton
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1946-2025 (aged 79)
    Occupations
    film actor
    Biography

    Diane Keaton Hall was an American actress. Her career spanned more than five decades, during which she rose to prominence in the New Hollywood movement. She collaborated frequently with Woody Allen, appearing in eight of his films. Keaton's accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, along with nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. She was honored with the Film at Lincoln Center Gala Tribute in 2007 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2017.

  4. John Wayne

    John Wayne
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1907-1979 (aged 72)
    Enrolled in the University of Southern California
    Studied Pre-law
    Occupations
    film directorfilm screenwriterdirectorproducertelevision actor
    Biography

    Marion Robert Morrison, known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood's Golden Age, especially in Western and war movies. His career flourished from the silent film era of the 1920s through the American New Wave, as he appeared in a total of 179 film and television productions. He was among the top box-office draws for three decades and appeared with many other important Hollywood stars of his era. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Wayne as one of the greatest male stars of classic American cinema.

All 100 notable alumni

General info

Alternative names USC
Founded 1880
Motto Palmam qui meruit ferat
Colors cardinal, gold
Academic calendar August to May (August - December; January-May)
Total FTE staff 15,725
Carnegie classification Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity

Location and contacts

Address University Park
Los Angeles, California, 90089
United States
City population 3,899,000
Phone 2137402311

University of Southern California in social media