University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private
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University of Southern California admitted 11.2% of applicants university-wide (9,345 of 83,488).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 11.2% | 9,345 | 83,488 |
| In-state | 11.4% | 3,692 | 32,499 |
| Out-of-state | 9.8% | 3,378 | 34,374 |
| International applicants | 13.7% | 2,275 | 16,615 |
| Men | 12.4% | 4,580 | 37,036 |
| Women | 10.3% | 4,759 | 46,419 |
Also offers Early Action (closes Nov 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 9,345 admitted students, 3,759 enrolled (40.2% yield).
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C1–C2 · 2025 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1470–1540
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 32–35
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.75–4.00
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C9–C12 · 2025 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $90,921/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $66,640 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $24,281 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $90,921/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $13,516 |
| $30k–48k | $14,394 |
| $48k–75k | $19,539 |
| $75k–110k | $24,976 |
| Over $110k | $56,116 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Dean's Merit Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Merit)
- Deans Scholarship — Quarter tuition (Merit)
- Mork Family Scholarship — Full tuition plus $5,000 stipend (Full Tuition)
- Presidential Scholarship — Half tuition (Presidential)
- Stamps Scholarship — Full cost of attendance plus enrichment funds (Full Ride)
- Trustee Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
- USC Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
Some aid available for internationals.
- Dean's Merit Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Merit)
- International Freshman Academic Scholarship — $10,000 per year (International Aid)
- Deans Scholarship — Quarter tuition (Merit)
- Mork Family Scholarship — Full tuition plus $5,000 stipend (Full Tuition)
- Presidential Scholarship — Half tuition (Presidential)
- Stamps Scholarship — Full cost of attendance plus enrichment funds (Full Ride)
- Trustee Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections G–H · 2025
Application requirements
US applicants
- Common Application
- Official SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- Official High School Transcripts
- Counselor or Teacher Recommendation
- Portfolio, Résumé, Writing Samples, or Audition (if required by major)
- Mid-Year Report (Fall Grades)
- Application Affirmations (digital signature)
- Home-School Questions on Secondary School Report
- Application fee
International applicants
- Common Application
- Official SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- Official High School Transcripts
- Counselor or Teacher Recommendation
- Portfolio, Résumé, Writing Samples, or Audition (if required by major)
- Mid-Year Report (Fall Grades)
- Application Affirmations (digital signature)
- Home-School Questions on Secondary School Report
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
University of Southern California · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 2 college-specific supplements:
- Describe your interest in your first-choice major.250 words · Required
- Why are you interested in studying at USC?250 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $92,498
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 91.8%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 95.2%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $18,000
- At graduation
University of Southern California · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #28
- WSJ: #37
- Forbes: #28
- Niche: #27
- QS: #146
Deadlines
- 2026-11-01Early Action — Non-binding early round
- 2027-01-10Regular Decision — Standard deadline
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C21–C22 · 2025
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (21%), Social sciences (11%), Visual & performing arts (11%).
Student–faculty ratio: 9:1 · 60% of class sections have under 20 students.
University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections E, F, I · 2025 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.