Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Princeton UCLA Duke Cornell Harvard Stanford Johns Hopkins NYU Georgetown Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna| University of Southern California | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USC | Penn | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 48,945 | 28,201 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #34 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,468 | $56,212 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,468 | $56,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,436 | $17,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,808 | $26,123 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,262 | $57,175 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 46% |
Admission |
USC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 69,062 | 54,588 | ||
| Admitted | 8,304 | 3,549 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 6.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.2% | 67.9% | ||
| 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 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 5, 2025 |
Academics |
USC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
USC | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $213 |
Diversity |
USC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 13% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
USC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 42% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 67% | ||
Campus |
USC | Penn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Southern California is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 28,201 students)
USC vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or Penn?
- University of Southern California is 12.9% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.9% higher at USC than University of Pennsylvania ($63,468.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than USC ($26,123 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 2.6% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($17,436 vs. $17,888)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of Pennsylvania (71% vs. 46%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 26.3% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($57,175 vs. $45,262)
USC vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or USC .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 66 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming Penn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman Penn 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 Penn (6.5%)
USC vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or Penn? 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 Penn and USC.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than University of Southern California (96% vs. 90%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $38,100 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $85,500)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,742 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($20,633 vs. $22,375)
- Penn graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($213 vs. $231)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/