San Jose State vs. USC

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

San Jose State USC
Location San Jose, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 35,751 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #558 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sjsu.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Jose State USC
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $63,468
Room & Board $18,568 $17,436
Avg Net Price $14,219 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $9,210 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 71%

Admission

San Jose State USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,002 69,062
Admitted 26,083 8,304
Acceptance Rate 76.7% 12%
Enrolled % 15.5% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 19/26 32/35
SAT Range 1010/1240 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023

Academics

San Jose State USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

San Jose State USC
Graduation Rate 46% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,900 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $155 $231

Diversity

San Jose State USC
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 40%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 26% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

San Jose State USC
% In-State 96% 42%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

San Jose State USC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 San Jose State based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 35,751 students)

San Jose State vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Jose State or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 1,005.3% more expensive to attend than San Jose State for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.2% higher at USC than San Jose State University ($63,468.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Jose State University than USC ($14,219 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 6.5% lower than costs at San Jose State University ($17,436 vs. $18,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than San Jose State University (71% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 391.4% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($45,262 vs. $9,210)

San Jose State vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 336 points higher than at San Jose State (1055)
  • Incoming USC students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at San Jose State (23)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
  • San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (76.7%) than USC (12%)

San Jose State vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Jose State or USC? 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 USC and San Jose State.

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than San Jose State University (90% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $25,600 more per year than San Jose State graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $59,900)
  • San Jose State University students graduate with a $7,375 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,375)
  • San Jose State graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($155 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jose State students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 73%)

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