Emory University vs University of Southern California (USC)

Emory University and the University of Southern California (USC) stand as two prominent institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. Emory, nestled in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, boasts a strong liberal arts foundation and renowned programs in the sciences, while USC, located in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, California, excels in fields such as film, music, and engineering. With acceptance rates of 17% and 11%, respectively, both universities are highly selective, attracting top students from across the nation. While Emory's student body is predominantly female (56%), USC's is more evenly balanced, with a 51% male and 49% female ratio. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the ideal university for your academic and personal growth.
Emory University logo

Emory University

University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Overview

Location Atlanta, Georgia Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 13.1% 12.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $90
SAT range 1420 - 1540 1410 - 1540
ACT range 32 - 34 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 37.0% 31.0%
Students submitting ACT score 27.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 33,435 71,031
Total number of admissions given out 4,364 8,884
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,494 3,668
Yield rate 34.2% 41.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,594 $81,659
Average net price $28,367 $26,021
Tuition $54,660 $60,446
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,254

Meal plan: $7,048
Room/dormitory: $10,098

Meal plan: $6,634
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $44,517
72.0%
Average amount $40,690
Students receiving federal student loan 21.0%
Average amount $5,029
22.0%
Average amount $4,215
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $24,114
2.0%
Average amount $29,056

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,130
Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
20,790
Men 48.5% Women 51.5%
Graduate students 7,649
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
28,528
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 85.8% 49.9%
International students 16.1% 23.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 4,813 8,700
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York Georgia California Texas New Jersey California Texas New York Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 90.0% 92.0%
Dropout rate 9.4% 7.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $172,813
  • Year 2: $162,817
  • Year 3: $170,655
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $131,170
  • Year 2: $134,287
  • Year 3: $154,242
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $133,992
  • Year 2: $135,250
  • Year 3: $149,929
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,815
  • Year 2: $104,440
  • Year 3: $115,844
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,878
  • Year 2: $100,571
  • Year 3: $109,263
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,250
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $107,288
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,396
  • Year 2: $72,711
  • Year 3: $92,305
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,076
  • Year 2: $77,283
  • Year 3: $89,530
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,923
  • Year 2: $66,325
  • Year 3: $78,482
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,886
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $74,925
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $104,166
  • Year 2: $187,234
  • Year 3: $221,418
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $167,228
  • Year 2: $163,225
  • Year 3: $161,094
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,344
  • Year 2: $126,683
  • Year 3: $148,434
Marketing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $113,473
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $147,381
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,796
  • Year 2: $116,083
  • Year 3: $146,357
Legal Professions and Studies, Other (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $79,420
  • Year 2: $88,198
  • Year 3: $140,330
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,841
  • Year 2: $131,090
  • Year 3: $140,129
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,775
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $136,848
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,676
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $134,632
Real Estate Development (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $119,991
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $125,784

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