USC: the complete school report for parents
USC rates 5 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and the essay. This is a genuinely holistic review. It does not consider demonstrated interest, the interview and class rank, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With an 11.2% admit rate and 80% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Transfer applicants are admitted at 27.1% against 11.2% for first-years, so the transfer route is materially wider.
USC is officially University of Southern California. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does USC actually weigh in admissions?
USC rates 5 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay, recommendations, personal qualities. It does not consider 6 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is USC's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How USC rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Very Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Not Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Not Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does USC consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does USC consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does USC consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does USC consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does USC consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does USC consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does USC consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does USC consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does USC consider class rank?
No. USC does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.
Does USC consider demonstrated interest?
No. USC does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does USC consider an interview?
No. USC does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does USC consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does USC consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does USC consider where we live?
No. USC does not consider it.
Does USC consider state residency?
No. USC does not consider it.
Does USC consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does USC consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does USC consider religious affiliation?
No. USC does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
80% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.85 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.92% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 28.2% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 52% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 14.3% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 3.5% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 1.1% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.7% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.2% |
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
USC admitted 27.1% of 10,827 transfer applicants, against 11.2% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
USC reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 10 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $85 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
USC requires 16 academic units and recommends 20. A college-preparatory program is recommended.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 3 years |
| Science | 2 years | 3 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 3 years |
What will USC actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $32,740 a year at USC after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $66,640. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 99.4% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 637 merit awards averaging $21,399 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
34% of USC graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $26,805 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $191 a month in repayment. USC’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from USC pay off?
Graduates earn a median $92,498 ten years after entering, and $74,461 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 80% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$180,906 to $24,763, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at USC:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $180,906 | 287 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $165,219 | 32 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $107,591 | 119 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $107,531 | 160 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $104,833 | 832 |
| Economics | $98,555 | 210 |
| Applied Mathematics | $94,658 | 147 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $87,675 | 165 |
| Public Health | $81,522 | 128 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $53,923 | 178 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $30,649 | 135 |
| Music | $24,763 | 78 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
95% of first-years return for a second year. 90% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 86.7% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 91.4% of everyone else, a gap of 4.8 points.
How big are the classes?
60% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 3% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 59% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.
What is life at USC like?
20,768 undergraduates, 39% of first-years from out of state. 97% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 36% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 3% of men join a fraternity and 12% of women a sorority. 25% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,787.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. USC recommends 20 academic units.
- 80% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.85. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
- Its highest-earning major returns $180,906 five years out against $24,763 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about USC
What GPA do you need for USC?
80% of enrolled students at USC had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.85, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do USC graduates earn?
USC graduates earn a median $92,498 ten years after entering, and 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with USC
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: USC’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.