University of Southern California: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of Southern California is a private nonprofit college in Los Angeles, CA. Students pay about $32,740 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $92,498 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.3 years and adds $309,020 over a decade, ranking it #38 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is University of Southern California's acceptance rate?
University of Southern California has an acceptance rate of 9.8%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Los Angeles, CA enrolling about 20,443 students, with a 91.9% graduation rate.
How much does University of Southern California cost?
University of Southern California costs about $32,740 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $148,960. Published sticker cost of attendance is $90,300 per year.
How much do University of Southern California graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Southern California student earns $92,498 per year. That is $45,798 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of Southern California worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of Southern California pays back its roughly $148,960 cost in about 3.3 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $309,020 net of cost, a 3.07x return on the money invested. That ranks it #38 of 918 (top 5%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
University of Southern California graduation rate and student debt
91.9% of University of Southern California students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $18,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 19% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of Southern California by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of Southern California compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $32,740 | $20,299 | cheaper than 12% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $92,498 | $54,768 | 96th |
| Graduation rate | 91.9% | 57.0% | 97th |
| Acceptance rate | 9.8% | 75.7% | more selective than 97% |
| 10-yr value added | $309,020 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 3.07x | 0.73x | 91th |
| Payback period | 3.3 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 88% |
How University of Southern California compares with its nearest rivals
University of Southern California ranks #38 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 2 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
University of Southern California is a private nonprofit college in Los Angeles, CA with 20,443 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $90,300 a year, but the average aided family pays $32,740, a 64% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $18,000, equal to 19% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at University of Southern California: 9.8% of applicants are admitted.
- Northeastern University (Boston, MA; #37 of 918; 90.5% graduate) costs $1,825 less per year ($30,915 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($92,538). Northeastern University adds $1,450 more ten-year value than University of Southern California. Northeastern University pays back its cost in 3.2 years.
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (New York, NY; #39 of 918; 80.7% graduate) costs $19,471 less per year ($13,269 net), and its graduates earn $8,651 less ten years out ($83,847). University of Southern California adds $5,626 more ten-year value than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
- Maine Maritime Academy (Castine, ME; #36 of 918; 59.9% graduate) costs $9,326 less per year ($23,414 net), and its graduates earn $2,534 less ten years out ($89,964). Maine Maritime Academy adds $2,964 more ten-year value than University of Southern California. Maine Maritime Academy pays back its cost in 2.8 years.
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI; #40 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $19,602 less per year ($13,138 net), and its graduates earn $8,850 less ten years out ($83,648). University of Southern California adds $11,592 more ten-year value than University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor pays back its cost in 2 years.
- Kettering University (Flint, MI; #35 of 918; 70.7% graduate) costs $1,920 more per year ($34,660 net), and its graduates earn $2,325 more ten years out ($94,823). Kettering University adds $6,570 more ten-year value than University of Southern California. Kettering University pays back its cost in 3.4 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettering University | #35 | $34,660 | $94,823 | 70.7% | $315,590 |
| Maine Maritime Academy | #36 | $23,414 | $89,964 | 59.9% | $311,984 |
| Northeastern University | #37 | $30,915 | $92,538 | 90.5% | $310,470 |
| University of Southern California | #38 | $32,740 | $92,498 | 91.9% | $309,020 |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | #39 | $13,269 | $83,847 | 80.7% | $303,394 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #40 | $13,138 | $83,648 | 93.2% | $297,428 |
Paying for University of Southern California
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is University of Southern California worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of Southern California ranks #38 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 3.07x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of Southern California expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $32,740 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 12% of them.
Do University of Southern California graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $92,498 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 96% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of Southern California compared to other colleges?
Its 9.8% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 97% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.