USC vs. UChicago

Should I go to University of Southern California or University of Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USC or UChicago 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. University of Chicago comparison
University of Southern California University of Chicago College 3 College 4
University of Southern California University of Chicago
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Overview

USC UChicago
Location Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 48,945 18,339
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #34 #7
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu uchicago.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC UChicago
Tuition (In State) $63,468 $61,179
Tuition (Out of State) $63,468 $61,179
Room & Board $17,436 $18,396
Avg Net Price $36,808 $36,991
Avg Grant Aid $45,262 $48,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 52%

Admission

USC UChicago
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,062 37,522
Admitted 8,304 2,039
Acceptance Rate 12% 5.4%
Enrolled % 41.2% 84.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 34/35
SAT Range 1450/1550 1500/1580
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

Academics

USC UChicago
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

USC UChicago
Graduation Rate 90% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $98,500
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $14,500
Median Loan Payment $231 $149

Diversity

USC UChicago
% Men 46% 54%
% Women 54% 46%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 45%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 13% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 10%

Students

USC UChicago
% In-State 42% 12%
% Out-of-State 40% 69%

Campus

USC UChicago
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 UChicago based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 18,339 students)

USC vs. UChicago Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or UChicago?

  • University of Southern California is 3.7% more expensive to attend than UChicago for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.7% higher at USC than University of Chicago ($63,468.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Southern California than UChicago ($36,808 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 5.5% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($17,436 vs. $18,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of Chicago (71% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Chicago students is 7% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($48,422 vs. $45,262)

USC vs. UChicago Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 115 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at USC (32)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than UChicago (5.4%)

USC vs. UChicago Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UChicago is higher than University of Southern California (92% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $13,000 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $85,500)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $7,875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($14,500 vs. $22,375)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($149 vs. $231)
  • More UChicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 81%)

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