University of Southern California (USC) vs University of Miami

Nestled on the sunny shores of California and Florida, the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of Miami (UM) stand as two prominent beacons of higher education. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and offer a diverse range of programs, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. USC boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating its highly selective admissions process, while UM offers a more accessible pathway for aspiring students. In terms of popular majors, USC excels in fields like film and television production, music, and engineering, while UM shines in marine science, business, and nursing. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
University of Miami logo

University of Miami

University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Overview

Location Coral Gables, Florida Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Small 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 93.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 28.5% 12.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $85
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $90
SAT range 1300 - 1460 1410 - 1540
ACT range 30 - 33 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 31.0% 31.0%
Students submitting ACT score 24.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 42,245 71,031
Total number of admissions given out 12,037 8,884
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,766 3,668
Yield rate 23.0% 41.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA 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 $79,410 $81,659
Average net price $34,492 $26,021
Tuition $53,112 $60,446
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,180

Meal plan: $6,800
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)

71.0%
Average amount $35,012
72.0%
Average amount $40,690
Students receiving federal student loan 30.0%
Average amount $3,991
22.0%
Average amount $4,215
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $28,087
2.0%
Average amount $29,056

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 12,089
Men 46.5% Women 53.5%
20,790
Men 48.5% Women 51.5%
Graduate students 7,007
Men 44.4% Women 55.6%
28,528
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 71.6% 49.9%
International students 13.4% 23.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 5,307 8,700
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Florida New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Maryland California Texas New York Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 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 83.5% 92.0%
Dropout rate 15.8% 7.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $172,147
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,295
  • Year 2: $95,591
  • Year 3: $108,205
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,024
  • Year 2: $83,022
  • Year 3: $88,651
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,220
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $87,198
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,833
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $78,127
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,830
  • Year 2: $71,095
  • Year 3: $77,849
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,299
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $75,770
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,570
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $72,668
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,413
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $72,612
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,755
  • Year 2: $58,980
  • Year 3: $67,113
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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