USC vs. Penn

Should I go to University of Southern California or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USC or Penn 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 Pennsylvania comparison
University of Southern California University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
University of Southern California University of Pennsylvania
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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, 2024

Academics

USC Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

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/