University of Southern California (USC) vs George Washington University (GWU)

Envision yourself as a student, navigating the vibrant streets of Los Angeles or the historic avenues of Washington, D.C. The choice between the University of Southern California (USC) and George Washington University (GWU) presents two distinct academic journeys. USC, nestled in the heart of Southern California, boasts an acceptance rate of 11%, while GWU, situated in the nation's capital, stands at 44%. Both universities offer a diverse range of popular majors, with USC excelling in fields like film and performing arts, and GWU shining in international affairs and political science. Explore the nuances of each institution's student body demographics, graduation rates, and more in the comprehensive comparison table below, and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
George Washington University logo

George Washington University

University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia 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 91.0% 96.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 49.7% 12.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $80
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $90
SAT range 1310 - 1490 1410 - 1540
ACT range 30 - 34 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 31.0%
Students submitting ACT score 18.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 27,236 71,031
Total number of admissions given out 13,539 8,884
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,571 3,668
Yield rate 19.0% 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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,335 $81,659
Average net price $31,240 $26,021
Tuition $59,780 $60,446
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $15,260

Meal plan: $3,240
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)

74.0%
Average amount $31,678
72.0%
Average amount $40,690
Students receiving federal student loan 30.0%
Average amount $5,150
22.0%
Average amount $4,215
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $25,366
2.0%
Average amount $29,056

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,502
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
20,790
Men 48.5% Women 51.5%
Graduate students 14,955
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
28,528
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 98.7% 49.9%
International students 11.6% 23.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 6,693 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 New Jersey Virginia California Pennsylvania California Texas New York Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 83.7% 92.0%
Dropout rate 16.1% 7.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Systems Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,692
  • Year 2: $146,893
  • Year 3: $153,607
Human Resources Management and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,764
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $130,306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,241
  • Year 2: $127,142
  • Year 3: $127,952
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,834
  • Year 2: $114,046
  • Year 3: $119,393
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,809
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,813
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,922
  • Year 2: $104,061
  • Year 3: $111,679
Public Health (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $84,962
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $105,816
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,747
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $105,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,274
  • Year 2: $101,254
  • Year 3: $103,350
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,345
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $102,875
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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