UCI vs. USC

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

UCI USC
Location Irvine, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 35,937 48,945
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu usc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI USC
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $63,468
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $63,468
Room & Board $17,699 $17,436
Avg Net Price $14,033 $36,808
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $45,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 71%

Admission

UCI USC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 69,062
Admitted 25,212 8,304
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 12%
Enrolled % 22.5% 41.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 26/33 32/35
SAT Range 1230/1430 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

UCI USC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

UCI USC
Graduation Rate 85% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $85,500
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $22,375
Median Loan Payment $175 $231

Diversity

UCI USC
% Men 45% 46%
% Women 55% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 40%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 25% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 16% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UCI USC
% In-State 81% 42%
% Out-of-State 7% 40%

Campus

UCI 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 UCI based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 35,937 students)

UCI vs. USC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or USC?

  • University of Southern California is 448.8% more expensive to attend than UCI 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 Irvine ($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 Irvine than USC ($14,033 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 1.5% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($17,436 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of Southern California (80% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 160% larger than aid received University of California Irvine ($45,262 vs. $17,411)

UCI vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 216 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming USC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCI (3.75)
  • UCI has a higher acceptance rate (21.2%) than USC (12%)

UCI vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI 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 UCI.

  • The graduation rate at USC is higher than University of California Irvine (90% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $23,700 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $61,800)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $5,375 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($17,000 vs. $22,375)
  • UCI graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($175 vs. $231)
  • More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCI students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 76%)

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