Los Angeles, California · ★ 3.5 / 5 Overall (2 Student Reviews)
Bobak Ha'Eri / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Private not-for-profit · 4-year · Doctoral
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal[a]) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in California and has an enrollment of more than 47,000 students. The university is composed of a liberal arts school, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and 22 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, enrolling roughly 21,000 undergraduate and 28,500 post-graduate students from all fifty U.S. states and more than 115 countries. It is a member of the Association of American Universities, which it joined in 1969. USC sponsors a variety of intercollegiate sports and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big Ten Conference. Members of USC's sports teams, the Trojans, have won 107 NCAA team championships and 412 NCAA individual championships. As of 2021, Trojan athletes have won 326 medals at the Olympic Games (153 golds, 96 silvers, and 77 bronzes), more than any other American university. USC has had 571 football players drafted to the National Football League, the second-highest number of draftees in the country.
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University Park, Los Angeles, California, 90089
Visit University SiteRanked #29 in the US by Times Higher Education (2026). Source: THE US ↗
World rank
Ranked #55 globally by CWUR (2026). Source: CWUR World ↗
World rank
Ranked #73 globally in Times Higher Education (2026). Source: THE World ↗
Value rank
Ranked #181 on Washington Monthly Best Bang for the Buck. Source: WM Best Value ↗
25th–75th percentile
SAT total: 1440–1550
SAT ERW: 700–760
SAT math: 740–790
ACT composite: 32–35
Total: 47,147
Undergrad: 21,023
Undergrad full-time: 20,502
Graduate: 26,124
Part-time: 5,499
In-state
Tuition: $68,237
Total cost on campus: $90,453
Out-of-state
Tuition: $68,237
Total cost on campus: $90,453
Room & board: $19,198
Books & supplies: $1,200
Receive aid: 72%
Avg grant aid: $43,208
Pell grant recipients: 20%
Rent: $1,389 / mo
Average city asking rent, as a roommate share. Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Coffee: $6.50
State average cafe price. Numbeo, 2024.
Gas: $6.37 / gal
State average price. AAA.
Average meal: $11.57
Published board plan, per meal. IPEDS.