USC vs. Cornell

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

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University of Southern California vs. Cornell University comparison
University of Southern California Cornell University College 3 College 4
University of Southern California Cornell University
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Overview

USC Cornell
Location Los Angeles, CA Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 48,945 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #34 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Cornell
Tuition (In State) $63,468 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $63,468 $62,456
Room & Board $17,436 $16,988
Avg Net Price $36,808 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $45,262 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 51%

Admission

USC Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,062 69,195
Admitted 8,304 5,168
Acceptance Rate 12% 7.5%
Enrolled % 41.2% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 33/35
SAT Range 1450/1550 1470/1570
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 2, 2025

Academics

USC Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

USC Cornell
Graduation Rate 90% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $231 $124

Diversity

USC Cornell
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 41%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

USC Cornell
% In-State 42% 33%
% Out-of-State 40% 55%

Campus

USC Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 Cornell based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 25,898 students)

USC vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or Cornell?

  • University of Southern California is 1.6% more expensive to attend than Cornell for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at USC than Cornell University ($63,468.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than USC ($26,060 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 2.6% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($16,988 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Cornell University (71% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 19.8% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($54,219 vs. $45,262)

USC vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 37 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming USC students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Cornell (7.5%)

USC vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC or Cornell? 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 Cornell and USC.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Southern California (93% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $12,900 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $85,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $10,375 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($12,000 vs. $22,375)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $107 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($124 vs. $231)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

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