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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke UCLA Columbia Brown Penn UChicago NYU| University of Southern California | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USC | Harvard | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 48,945 | 30,631 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #34 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,468 | $52,659 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,468 | $52,659 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,436 | $19,502 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,808 | $19,491 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,262 | $61,801 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 56% |
Admission |
USC | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 69,062 | 61,221 | ||
| Admitted | 8,304 | 1,984 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 3.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.2% | 83% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1450/1550 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 | Harvard | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC | Harvard | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 97% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $136,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $67 |
Diversity |
USC | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 44% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 13% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
USC | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 42% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 69% | ||
Campus |
USC | Harvard | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| 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 Harvard based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 30,631 students)
USC vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or Harvard?
- University of Southern California is 20.5% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $52,659.00)
- Out of state tuition is 20.5% higher at USC than Harvard University ($63,468.00 vs. $52,659.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than USC ($19,491 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 11.8% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,436 vs. $19,502)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Harvard University (71% vs. 56%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 36.5% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($61,801 vs. $45,262)
USC vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or Harvard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Harvard or USC .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 106 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at USC (3.83)
- USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Harvard (3.2%)
USC vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or Harvard? 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 Harvard and USC.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than University of Southern California (97% vs. 90%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $51,200 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $85,500)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $15,875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($6,500 vs. $22,375)
- Harvard graduates are paying $164 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($67 vs. $231)
- More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/