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UC Riverside UCLA UCSB UC Davis Stanford Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI NYU Pomona| University of California Santa Cruz | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | USC | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,478 | 48,945 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #222 | #34 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $63,468 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $63,468 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,185 | $17,436 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,975 | $36,808 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,202 | $45,262 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 71% |
Admission |
UCSC | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,912 | 69,062 | ||
| Admitted | 30,926 | 8,304 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.9% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.5% | 41.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 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 |
UCSC | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | USC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $85,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $22,375 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $231 |
Diversity |
UCSC | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 40% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSC | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 42% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 40% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 19,478 students)
UCSC vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or USC?
- University of Southern California is 448.8% more expensive to attend than UCSC 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 Santa Cruz ($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 Santa Cruz than USC ($17,975 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 4.3% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($17,436 vs. $18,185)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than University of California Santa Cruz (71% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern California students is 113.5% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($45,262 vs. $21,202)
UCSC vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of Southern California (1391) is 190 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming USC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UCSC (28)
- Accepted freshman USC students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than USC (12%)
UCSC vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (90% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from University of Southern California earn on average $35,100 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($85,500 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $2,416 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($19,959 vs. $22,375)
- UCSC graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($206 vs. $231)
- More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/