Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UCLA Harvard Yale Barnard Stanford Princeton NYU Cornell Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna UChicago| University of Southern California | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USC | Columbia | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 48,945 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #34 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usc.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,468 | $62,570 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,468 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,436 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,808 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,262 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 52% |
Admission |
USC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 69,062 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 8,304 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.2% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 3.91 | ||
| 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 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 1, 2024 |
Academics |
USC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 6:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
USC | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 90% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,500 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,375 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $231 | $222 |
Diversity |
USC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 13% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
USC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 42% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 64% | ||
Campus |
USC | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Southern California is larger than than Columbia based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 34,782 students)
USC vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC or Columbia?
- University of Southern California is 1.4% more expensive to attend than Columbia for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $62,570.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at USC than Columbia University in the City of New York ($63,468.00 vs. $62,570.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than USC ($22,058 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 7.1% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($16,286 vs. $17,436)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Columbia University in the City of New York (71% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 34.9% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($61,061 vs. $45,262)
USC vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or USC .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 82 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at USC (3.83)
- USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Columbia (3.9%)
USC vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC or Columbia? 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 Columbia and USC.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than University of Southern California (93% vs. 90%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $22,100 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $85,500)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,375)
- Columbia graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($222 vs. $231)
- More USC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia 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/