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Northeastern BC NYU UCLA Babson Stanford Tufts UMass Brandeis University Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna| University of Southern California | Boston University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USC | BU | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Boston, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 48,945 | 36,714 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #34 | #79 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | bu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | BU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,468 | $61,050 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,468 | $61,050 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,436 | $17,400 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,808 | $27,829 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,262 | $51,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 48% |
Admission |
USC | BU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 69,062 | 80,796 | ||
| Admitted | 8,304 | 11,607 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 14.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.2% | 31.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 3.79 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1450/1550 | 1350/1500 | ||
| 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 4, 2025 |
Academics |
USC | BU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC | BU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $72,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $279 |
Diversity |
USC | BU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 43% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 13% | 20% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
USC | BU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 42% | 14% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 61% | ||
Campus |
USC | BU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Southern California is larger than than BU based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 36,714 students)
USC vs. BU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or BU?
- University of Southern California is 4% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $61,050.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4% higher at USC than Boston University ($63,468.00 vs. $61,050.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than USC ($27,829 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 0.2% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,400 vs. $17,436)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Boston University (71% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 13.9% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($51,565 vs. $45,262)
USC vs. BU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or BU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BU or USC .
- The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 88 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming USC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
- Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at BU (3.79)
- BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than USC (12%)
USC vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or BU? 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 BU and USC.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than Boston University (90% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $13,500 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $72,000)
- University of Southern California students graduate with a $4,625 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($22,375 vs. $27,000)
- USC graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($231 vs. $279)
- More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/