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Vanderbilt UCLA Emory Stanford Northwestern NYU Cornell Pomona Rice Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna Duke| University of Southern California | Washington University in St Louis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USC | WUSTL | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Saint Louis, MO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 47,147 | 16,500 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #36 | #21 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | wustl.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | WUSTL | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,640 | $61,750 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,640 | $61,750 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,198 | $20,778 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $41,496 | $22,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $43,208 | $61,036 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 48% |
Admission |
USC | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,808 | 32,240 | ||
| Admitted | 8,094 | 3,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.9% | 47.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1440/1550 | 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 4, 2026 |
Academics |
USC | WUSTL | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC | WUSTL | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $82,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $19,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $205 |
Diversity |
USC | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 25% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 30% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 13% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
USC | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 43% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 76% | ||
Campus |
USC | WUSTL | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Southern California is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (47,147 students vs. 16,500 students)
USC vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or WUSTL ?
- University of Southern California is 7.9% more expensive to attend than WUSTL for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at USC than Washington University in St Louis ($66,640.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than USC ($22,440 vs. $41,496)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 8.2% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($19,198 vs. $20,778)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Washington University in St Louis (68% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 41.3% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($61,036 vs. $43,208)
USC vs. WUSTL Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or WUSTL ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WUSTL or USC .
- The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 78 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming WUSTL students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at USC (3.83)
- WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than USC (10%)
USC vs. WUSTL Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or WUSTL ? 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 WUSTL and USC.
- The graduation rate at WUSTL is higher than University of Southern California (93% vs. 90%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $2,700 more per year than WUSTL graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $82,800)
- Washington University in St Louis students graduate with a $2,475 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($19,900 vs. $22,375)
- WUSTL graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($205 vs. $231)
- More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/