University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees

Large city

10%Acceptance rate
$32,740Average net price / year
92%Graduation rate
$92,498Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$18,000Median debt at graduation
20,443Undergraduates

Cost

In-state tuition & fees
$72,097
Total cost of attendance
$90,300
Room & board
$19,931
Books & supplies
$1,200
Average net price
$32,740

Net price by family income

$0–30k
$13,516
$30–48k
$14,394
$48–75k
$19,539
$75–110k
$24,976
$110k+
$56,116

Official net price calculator

Admissions

Acceptance rate
9.8%
Average SAT
1495
SAT reading (25–75%)
710–760
SAT math (25–75%)
740–790
ACT composite (25–75%)
32–35

Outcomes

Graduation rate
92%
First-year retention
96%
Median earnings (6 yrs)
$74,461
Median earnings (10 yrs)
$92,498
Median debt (graduates)
$18,000
3-year loan default rate
0.0%
Students with Pell grants
22%
Students with federal loans
24%

Programs: what graduates earn

141 of 363 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).

Bachelor's degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Computer Science305$137,284$19,625
Computer Software and Media Applications36$103,071—
Real Estate—$98,763$19,500
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering6$89,684$18,497
Industrial Engineering71$87,807$17,704
Civil Engineering28$85,262$8,125
Mechanical Engineering101$83,356$14,250
Biomedical/Medical Engineering52$80,508$13,750
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering55$78,980$20,030
Accounting and Related Services—$73,903$16,491
Engineering-Related Fields29$73,234$19,250
Business Administration, Management and Operations—$71,668$15,750
Applied Mathematics126$71,622$12,251
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions—$69,479$30,556
Chemical Engineering41$68,234$13,000
Design and Applied Arts67$64,846$18,000
Economics178$57,060$13,850
Public Policy Analysis41$52,403$17,750
International Relations and National Security Studies145$52,262$13,247
Fine and Studio Arts55$50,161$19,750
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication80$50,041$19,500
Real Estate Development95$49,353$17,375
Architectural Sciences and Technology65$47,874$30,500
Communication and Media Studies269$47,651$15,875
Journalism97$44,651$15,000
Philosophy77$38,380$7,500
Neurobiology and Neurosciences83$38,063$14,000
Political Science and Government132$38,063$12,000
History77$36,876$12,138
Public Health109$36,300$15,000
Sociology66$35,580$9,625
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology31$34,468$3,000
Cognitive Science44$34,295$18,250
Film/Video and Photographic Arts178$34,187$19,500
Psychology, General189$34,139$14,000
Social Sciences, General18$33,789—
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management79$26,975$20,353
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies41$26,636$19,131
Dance18$25,653$15,875
Human Biology241$23,405$14,481
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft150$21,473$12,000
Biology, General71$20,210$4,618
Music71$12,947$19,839
Natural Resources Conservation and Research47$51,875$9,125
Architecture14$60,793—
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning—$62,799—
Area Studies12$50,246—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies10$55,208$17,750
Engineering, General—$102,373$2,750
Computer Engineering34$100,711$6,625
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics22$64,421—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics33$59,088$20,000
English Language and Literature, General15$28,604$3,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities—$58,462$3,000
Mathematics14$69,377$2,750
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other52$35,352$18,500
Chemistry13$54,966—
Physics17—$7,500
Visual and Performing Arts, General39$47,080—

Master's degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences37$178,854—
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other16$163,956$51,250
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing73$136,250$96,260
Computer Software and Media Applications110$134,800$63,625
Computer Science1,185$134,544$51,250
Business Administration, Management and Operations525$132,668$77,686
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions61$129,633$232,660
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering409$126,936—
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods1,272$120,846$60,405
Real Estate Development25$120,536—
Systems Engineering43$118,363—
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering141$112,143$55,288
Mechanical Engineering139$106,735—
Engineering, Other216$101,781$30,125
Health and Medical Administrative Services134$96,331$73,316
Human Resources Management and Services234$94,625$53,261
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research21$91,029$61,579
Civil Engineering35$91,025—
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other6$90,311$80,255
Marketing28$88,627—
Biomedical/Medical Engineering54$85,502$65,600
Applied Mathematics139$84,685$57,179
Taxation13$80,287$50,834
Public Administration209$78,453$75,887
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions175$74,934$136,289
Accounting and Related Services—$73,673$48,666
Dispute Resolution31$72,887—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology140$71,497$61,632
Communication and Media Studies315$68,587$70,426
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies522$68,058$66,790
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations100$66,292$58,425
Public Policy Analysis116$64,952$81,516
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning80$63,583$57,982
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions58$61,960$130,999
Social Work649$61,298$125,849
Geography and Cartography74$61,063$58,405
International/Globalization Studies24$58,871$52,251
Public Health262$58,611$83,937
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology49$58,044$60,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas252$57,494$68,331
Gerontology110$57,270$66,250
Architectural Sciences and Technology87$55,090$118,666
Educational Administration and Supervision80$53,366$60,487
Student Counseling and Personnel Services204$52,999$118,051
Library Science and Administration—$52,828$83,905
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication195$50,634$82,426
Journalism72$49,625$48,232
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences39$38,304$61,426
Music92$27,510$64,278
Film/Video and Photographic Arts164$26,843$167,503
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language103$22,489$66,499
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft40$21,764$108,033
Architecture—$63,307—
Petroleum Engineering9$70,129—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies10$73,165—
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration103$103,847—
Finance and Financial Management Services—$93,983—

Doctoral degree

First professional degree

ProgramGraduatesEarningsMedian debt
Law181$183,063$138,518
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration193$105,319$234,278
Dentistry186$79,887$439,325
Medicine161$75,814$234,702

Graduate certificate

Students

Undergraduates
20,443
Graduate students
28,333
Part-time
2%
Women / men
52% / 48%
White
26%
Hispanic
20%
Black
7%
Asian
23%
International
13%

Faculty & school

Student–faculty ratio
9:1
Avg faculty salary
$161,316 / year
Full-time faculty
59%
Accreditor
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Website
www.usc.edu
Also known as
USC

Most popular fields

  • Architecture – 3% of degrees
  • Communication & Journalism – 8% of degrees
  • Computer & Information Sciences – 8% of degrees
  • Engineering – 8% of degrees
  • Biological Sciences – 5% of degrees
  • Mathematics & Statistics – 2% of degrees

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of Southern California?

9.8% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1495 on the SAT.

How much does University of Southern California cost?

The average net price after grants is $32,740 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $72,097 and the full cost of attendance is $90,300.

How much do University of Southern California graduates earn?

Students who enrolled earn a median of $92,498 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.

What is the graduation rate?

92% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Other colleges in Los Angeles

CollegeNet priceAcceptanceGraduationEarnings
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 33,475 students
$12,5489%93%$82,511
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 19,562 students
$3,96791%53%$59,211
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 11,198 students
$10,261—29%$36,190
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 9,998 students
$12,323—35%$35,233
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 7,094 students
$48,38145%79%$78,349
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles, CA · Public · 3,706 students
$5,964—34%$32,172
Smith Chason College
Los Angeles, CA · Private for-profit · 2,447 students
$34,367—72%$58,004
American Career College-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Private for-profit · 2,168 students
$32,408—75%$38,430
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 1,877 students
$38,26344%81%$75,951
Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 1,719 students
$21,41373%53%$72,379

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.