UC Riverside vs. USC

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

UCSC San Diego State UCLA UC Merced Stanford UCI UCSD San Jose State NYU ASU Pomona Loyola Marymount
University of California Riverside vs. University of Southern California comparison
University of California Riverside University of Southern California College 3 College 4
University of California Riverside University of Southern California
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Riverside USC
Location Riverside, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 26,809 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Riverside USC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $63,468
Room & Board $17,333 $17,436
Avg Net Price $14,487 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 71%

Admission

UC Riverside USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 69,062
Admitted 37,563 8,304
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 12%
Enrolled % 14.8% 41.2%
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 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 Riverside USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

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 49% 46%
% Women 51% 54%
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 94% 42%
% Out-of-State 2% 40%

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 (48,945 students vs. 26,809 students)

UC Riverside vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 448.8% more expensive to attend than UC Riverside 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 Riverside ($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 Riverside than USC ($14,487 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Riverside are 0.6% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,333 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than University of Southern California (75% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 105.3% larger than aid received University of California Riverside ($45,262 vs. $22,042)

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 (68.7%) than USC (12%)

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/