Oxy vs. USC

Should I go to Occidental College or University of Southern California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oxy or USC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Occidental College vs. University of Southern California comparison
Occidental College University of Southern California College 3 College 4
Occidental College University of Southern California
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Overview

Oxy USC
Location Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 1,942 48,945
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #72 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oxy.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oxy USC
Tuition (In State) $59,970 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $59,970 $63,468
Room & Board $17,330 $17,436
Avg Net Price $44,853 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $33,025 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 71%

Admission

Oxy USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,305 69,062
Admitted 2,484 8,304
Acceptance Rate 39.4% 12%
Enrolled % 21.4% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 32/35
SAT Range 1370/1510 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 10, 2025

Academics

Oxy USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Oxy USC
Graduation Rate 83% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,652 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $244 $231

Diversity

Oxy USC
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 40%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 16% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Oxy USC
% In-State 34% 42%
% Out-of-State 61% 40%

Campus

Oxy USC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 1,942 students)

Oxy vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oxy or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 5.8% more expensive to attend than Oxy for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.8% higher at USC than Occidental College ($63,468.00 vs. $59,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Southern California than Oxy ($36,808 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 0.6% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,330 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Occidental College than University of Southern California (76% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 37.1% larger than aid received Occidental College ($45,262 vs. $33,025)

Oxy vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Oxy or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or Oxy .

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 87 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
  • Incoming USC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Oxy (30)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.4%) than USC (12%)

Oxy vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oxy or USC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USC and Oxy.

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than Occidental College (90% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $28,900 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $56,600)
  • University of Southern California students graduate with a $1,277 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($22,375 vs. $23,652)
  • USC graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($231 vs. $244)
  • More Oxy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/