USC vs. Harvard

Should I go to University of Southern California or Harvard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USC or Harvard 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. Harvard University comparison
University of Southern California Harvard University College 3 College 4
University of Southern California Harvard University
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

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/