USC vs. Yale

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

 USC Yale
Location Los Angeles, CA New Haven, CT
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 47,147 15,081
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #36 #5
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu yale.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Yale
Tuition (In State) $66,640 $64,700
Tuition (Out of State) $66,640 $64,700
Room & Board $19,198 $19,180
Avg Net Price $41,496 $26,044
Avg Grant Aid $43,208 $59,076
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 54%

Admission

 USC Yale
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,808 51,803
Admitted 8,094 2,332
Acceptance Rate 10% 4.5%
Enrolled % 44.9% 70.4%
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 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 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 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

 USC Yale
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 USC Yale
Graduation Rate 90% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $118,400
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $13,500
Median Loan Payment $231 $139

Diversity

 USC Yale
% Men 25% 25%
% Women 30% 30%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 47%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 14% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 13% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 USC Yale
% In-State 43% 6%
% Out-of-State 38% 81%

Campus

 USC Yale
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 Yale based on total student enrollment (47,147 students vs. 15,081 students)

USC vs. Yale Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or Yale?

  • University of Southern California is 3% more expensive to attend than Yale for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $64,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at USC than Yale University ($66,640.00 vs. $64,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Yale University than USC ($26,044 vs. $41,496)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 0.1% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($19,180 vs. $19,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Yale University (68% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 36.7% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($59,076 vs. $43,208)

USC vs. Yale Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 107 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming Yale students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Yale 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 (10%) than Yale (4.5%)

USC vs. Yale Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than University of Southern California (97% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $32,900 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $85,500)
  • Yale University students graduate with a $8,875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($13,500 vs. $22,375)
  • Yale graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($139 vs. $231)
  • More Yale 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/