UC Berkeley vs. USC

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or University of Southern California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCLA Stanford UCSD UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB NYU UCI Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna
University of California Berkeley vs. University of Southern California comparison
University of California Berkeley University of Southern California College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley University of Southern California
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Berkeley USC
Location Berkeley, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley USC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $63,468
Room & Board $21,402 $17,436
Avg Net Price $19,257 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 71%

Admission

UC Berkeley USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 69,062
Admitted 14,523 8,304
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 12%
Enrolled % 46.3% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 30/35 32/35
SAT Range 1310/1530 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UC Berkeley USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley USC
Graduation Rate 90% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $146 $231

Diversity

UC Berkeley USC
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 40%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 13%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UC Berkeley USC
% In-State 78% 42%
% Out-of-State 11% 40%

Campus

UC Berkeley USC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 45,307 students)

UC Berkeley vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 448.8% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at USC than University of California Berkeley ($63,468.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than USC ($19,257 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 22.7% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($17,436 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of California Berkeley (71% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 108.9% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($45,262 vs. $21,669)

UC Berkeley vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 6 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at USC (32)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is the same as at University of Southern California (90% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $10,800 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $74,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $8,175 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($14,200 vs. $22,375)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($146 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 79%)

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