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UCLA Stanford NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Pomona Loyola Marymount Cornell Claremont McKenna UC Berkeley UCSD Emory| University of Southern California | Carnegie Mellon University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 48,945 | 16,002 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #34 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | cmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,468 | $59,864 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,468 | $59,864 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,436 | $16,486 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,808 | $33,499 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,262 | $43,966 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 47% |
Admission |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 69,062 | 34,261 | ||
| Admitted | 8,304 | 3,873 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 11.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.2% | 44.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1450/1550 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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 1, 2025 |
Academics |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 5:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $102,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $26,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $271 |
Diversity |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 56% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 44% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 32% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 13% | 18% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 42% | 11% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 69% | ||
Campus |
USC | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Southern California is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 16,002 students)
USC vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or Carnegie Mellon?
- University of Southern California is 6% more expensive to attend than Carnegie Mellon for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $59,864.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6% higher at USC than Carnegie Mellon University ($63,468.00 vs. $59,864.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carnegie Mellon University than USC ($33,499 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 5.8% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($16,486 vs. $17,436)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Carnegie Mellon University (71% vs. 47%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 2.9% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($45,262 vs. $43,966)
USC vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or Carnegie Mellon? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carnegie Mellon or USC .
- The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 57 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at USC (3.83)
- USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)
USC vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or Carnegie Mellon? 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 Carnegie Mellon and USC.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (90% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $17,200 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $85,500)
- University of Southern California students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($22,375 vs. $26,250)
- USC graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($231 vs. $271)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/