University of Southern California: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

University of Southern California is a private institution located in Los Angeles, California and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Southern California admits roughly one in four applicants, with an overall admission rate of 10%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1501 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $31,927 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Southern California is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for University of Southern California?

Most admitted students at University of Southern California present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

What does University of Southern California weight in admissions?

University of Southern California reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

SAT and ACT scores University of Southern California typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 740–790, with an EBRW midpoint near 720. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does University of Southern California actually cost?

Published tuition is $68,237 for in-state students and $68,237 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,198 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $31,927 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Southern California

Will my child graduate from University of Southern California?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Most popular majors at University of Southern California

The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Southern California, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Communication and Media Studies and Computer Science. Across all programs, University of Southern California confers roughly 2,449 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $104,833 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.

Is University of Southern California safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Southern California disclosed 494 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 24.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 58 violent offenses and 51 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.

What is campus life like at University of Southern California?

About 36% of undergraduates at University of Southern California live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 2% of men join a fraternity and 12% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in California parents ask about

• Stanford University
  4% acceptance
• University of California-Berkeley
  12% acceptance
• University of California-Los Angeles
  9% acceptance
• University of California-Davis
  42% acceptance
• University of California-Irvine
  26% acceptance
• University of California-San Diego
  25% acceptance
• University of California-Santa Barbara
  63% acceptance
• University of California-Santa Cruz
  28% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about University of Southern California