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UCSC San Diego State UCLA UC Merced Stanford UCI UCSD San Jose State NYU ASU Pomona Loyola Marymount| University of California Riverside | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
| Location | Riverside, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,426 | 47,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #265 | #36 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucr.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $66,640 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $66,640 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,433 | $19,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $41,496 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,566 | $43,208 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 70% | 68% |
Admission |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 62,807 | 80,808 | ||
| Admitted | 39,758 | 8,094 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 63.3% | 10% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.9% | 44.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.84 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 22/31 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1280 | 1440/1550 | ||
| 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, 2025 |
Academics |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,200 | $85,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,109 | $22,375 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $197 | $231 |
Diversity |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 30% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 13% | 40% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 36% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
UC Riverside | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 38% | ||
Campus |
UC Riverside | 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 Riverside based on total student enrollment (47,147 students vs. 26,426 students)
UC Riverside vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or USC?
- University of Southern California is 463.1% more expensive to attend than UC Riverside for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 56.4% higher at USC than University of California Riverside ($66,640.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than USC ($13,533 vs. $41,496)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 1.2% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($19,198 vs. $19,433)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than University of Southern California (70% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 100.4% larger than aid received University of California Riverside ($43,208 vs. $21,566)
UC Riverside vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UC Riverside or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or UC Riverside .
- The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 272 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
- Incoming USC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UC Riverside (26)
- Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at USC (3.83)
- UC Riverside has a higher acceptance rate (63.3%) than USC (10%)
UC Riverside vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UC Riverside 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 Riverside.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than University of California Riverside (90% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $33,300 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $52,200)
- University of California Riverside students graduate with a $3,266 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($19,109 vs. $22,375)
- UC Riverside graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($197 vs. $231)
- More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/