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UCLA Stanford UCSD UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB NYU UCI Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna| University of California Berkeley | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
| Location | Berkeley, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 45,307 | 48,945 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #63 | #34 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | berkeley.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $63,468 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $63,468 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,402 | $17,436 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,257 | $36,808 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,669 | $45,262 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 71% |
Admission |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 128,209 | 69,062 | ||
| Admitted | 14,523 | 8,304 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.3% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 46.3% | 41.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.87 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 30/35 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1310/1530 | 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 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $74,700 | $85,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 79% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,200 | $22,375 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $146 | $231 |
Diversity |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 40% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 14% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
UC Berkeley | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 78% | 42% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 11% | 40% | ||
Campus |
UC Berkeley | 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 UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 45,307 students)
UC Berkeley vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or USC?
- University of Southern California is 448.8% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at USC than University of California Berkeley ($63,468.00 vs. $41,636.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than USC ($19,257 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 22.7% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($17,436 vs. $21,402)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of California Berkeley (71% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 108.9% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($45,262 vs. $21,669)
UC Berkeley vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UC Berkeley or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or UC Berkeley .
- The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 6 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming UC Berkeley students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at USC (3.83)
- USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)
UC Berkeley vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.
- The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is the same as at University of Southern California (90% vs. 90%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $10,800 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $74,700)
- University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $8,175 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($14,200 vs. $22,375)
- UC Berkeley graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($146 vs. $231)
- More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Berkeley students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 79%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/