University of Southern California

www.usc.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$60,446

2% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$26,021

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.513%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

12.5%

71,031 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

49,318

86.4% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

92%

2,708 Graduates

About

University of Southern California is a higher education institution located in Los Angeles County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at University of Southern California were Computer Science (1,066 degrees awarded), Social Work (888 degrees), and Electrical & Electronics Engineering (508 degrees).

In 2021, 17,749 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Southern California. 54.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (5,168 degrees), 1.76 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2,940 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Southern California is $60,446, which is $31,454 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

About the photo: Tommy Trojan

Photo by Richard Ha

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Southern California is $60,446, which is $31,454 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $26,021.

In 2021, 68% of undergraduate students attending University of Southern California received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 23% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$60,446

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of Southern California was $60,446. The cost of tuition at University of Southern California is $31,454 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Southern California (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$26,021

2021 Value

34.6%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of Southern California had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,021. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of Southern California grew by 34.6%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of Southern California (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,398

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Southern California was of $16,398 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.05% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of Southern California (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

68%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

23%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

68% of undergraduate students at University of Southern California received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 4.62% with respect to 2020, when 65% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of Southern California (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.513%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of Southern California was 0.513%, which represents 38 out of the 7403 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of Southern California received 71,031 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 19% annual growth. Out of those 71,031 applicants, 8,884 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 12.5% acceptance rate.

There were 49,318 students enrolled at University of Southern California in 2021. 31% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Southern California has an overall enrollment yield of 41.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

12.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

8,884

Accepted Out of 71,031

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Southern California was 12.5% (8,884 admissions from 71,031 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 16.1%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 19%, while admissions declined by −7.63%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Southern California (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

31%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,151

Scores Submitted (2021)

31% of enrolled first-time students at University of Southern California in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Southern California had a total enrollment of 49,318 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of Southern California is 42,631 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,687. This means that 86.4% of students enrolled at University of Southern California are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of Southern California, both undergraduate and graduate, is 27.3% White, 19.1% Asian, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Black or African American, 3.97% Two or More Races, 0.241% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.178% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at University of Southern California in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (16.3%), followed by White Female (15.6%) and Asian Female (12.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (13.8%), followed by White Male (9.6%) and Asian Female (9.42%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

86.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Southern California in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49,318 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Southern California is 42,631 and the part-time enrollment is 6,687. This means that 86.4% of students enrolled at University of Southern California are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Southern California (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

96%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Southern California was 96%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of Southern California had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Southern California (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
13,482 enrolled students
Asian
9,417 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
7,708 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Southern California is 27.3% White, 19.1% Asian, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Black or African American, 3.97% Two or More Races, 0.241% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.178% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,958 students (3.97%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,659 more women than men received degrees from University of Southern California. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Southern California is white (5,168 degrees awarded). There were 1.76 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2940 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at University of Southern California is Computer Science (1,066 degrees awarded), followed by Social Work (888 degrees) and Electrical & Electronics Engineering (508 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Southern California, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Architecture and Related Services (432 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (1,466 degrees), and Legal (750 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern California are Other managers (433,832 people), Software developers (406,703 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (336,895 people), Civil engineers (263,566 people), and Mechanical engineers (191,961 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Southern California in 2021 are Architecture and Related Services (432 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (1,466 degrees), Legal (750 degrees), Engineering (1,815 degrees), and Communications (908 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern California are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Aircraft pilots & flight engineers

The most specialized majors at University of Southern California are Architecture and Related Services (432 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (1,466 degrees), Legal (750 degrees), Engineering (1,815 degrees), and Communications (908 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Architectural, engineering & related services

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern California are Architectural, engineering & related services (547,075 people), Computer Systems Design (502,735 people), Construction (335,462 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (306,611 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (301,423 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Southern California.

Most Common (2021)

Computer Science
1,066 degree-majors awarded
Social Work
888 degree-majors awarded
Electrical & Electronics Engineering
508 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common masters degree concentration at University of Southern California was Computer Science with 1,066 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from masters degree programs at University of Southern California according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

8,045

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

9,704

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 8,045 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern California, which is 0.829 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (9,704).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Southern California by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 966 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern California in Computer Science, which is 2.3 times more than the 420 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 899 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern California in Social Work, which is 4.94 times more than the 182 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

78%

100% Completion Time

91%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 78% of students graduating from University of Southern California completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 91% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 93% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of Southern California is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.849% of graduates (23 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
5,168 degrees awarded
Asian
2,940 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,566 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Southern California is white (5,168 degrees awarded). There were 1.76 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (2940 degrees).

4.97% of degree recipients (882 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
2,768 degrees awarded
White Male
2,400 degrees awarded
Asian Female
1,691 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Southern California is white female (2,768 degrees awarded). There were 1.15 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (2400 degrees).

Operations

University of Southern California has an endowment valued at nearly $8.13B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 2.5B (30.7%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, University of Southern California had a total salary expenditure of 5.93B. University of Southern California employs 898 Professors, 611 Associate professors and 437 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of Southern California are Male Professor (604), Male Associate professor (325), and Female Professor (294).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Southern California are: Management, with 1,526 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 1,402 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,279 employees.

Endowment

$8.13B

2021 Endowment

37.4%

growth from 2020

University of Southern California has an endowment valued at about $8.13B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Southern California grew 37.4% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $7.74B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of Southern California (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$581M - Federal
$39.6M - State
$19.3M - Local

As of 2021, University of Southern California received $581M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $39.6M from state grants and contracts, and $19.3M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$2.55B

2021 Salaries

1.28%

decline from 2020

In 2021, University of Southern California paid a median of $2.55B in salaries, which represents 43% of their overall expenditure ($5.93B) and a 1.28% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$309M

Instructional Salaries

2,105

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of Southern California paid a total of $309M to 2,105 employees working as instructors, which represents 12.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

898 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,526 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Southern California were Professor with 898 employees, Associate professor with 611 employees, and Assistant professor with 437 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Southern California were Management with 1,526 employees, Business and Financial Operations with 1,402 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,279 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Southern California was Male Professor with 604 employees, Male Associate professor with 325 employees, and Female Professor with 294 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of Southern California.