University of Southern California (USC) vs Columbia College

Nestled in the heart of Los Angeles, University of Southern California (USC) and Columbia College Chicago, located in the vibrant city of Chicago, stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs and opportunities, they differ in several key aspects. USC boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating its highly selective admissions process, while Columbia College Chicago offers a more accessible route to higher education. In terms of student demographics, USC's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students compared to Columbia College Chicago. As you explore the comparison table below, you'll discover further distinctions between these two esteemed institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.

	Columbia College Chicago	University of Southern California
Overview
Location	Chicago, Illinois	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	62.0%	96.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	95.6%	12.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $85 Graduate: $90
SAT range	N/A	1410 - 1540
ACT range	N/A	32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score		31.0%
Students submitting ACT score		19.0%
Total number of applicants	7,218	71,031
Total number of admissions given out	6,903	8,884
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,696	3,668
Yield rate	24.6%	41.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$48,698	$81,659
Average net price	$25,262	$26,021
Tuition	$26,610	$60,446
Room & board	$16,456	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)	99.0% Average amount $20,992	72.0% Average amount $40,690
Students receiving federal student loan	94.0% Average amount $6,068	22.0% Average amount $4,215
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $19,315	2.0% Average amount $29,056

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,493 Men 40.0% Women 60.0%	20,790 Men 48.5% Women 51.5%
Graduate students	243 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%	28,528 Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	46.1%	49.9%
International students	4.0%	23.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,158	8,700
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Illinois Indiana Michigan Minnesota Ohio	California Texas New York Illinois Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Communications Technology Communication and Journalism English Language and Literature Business	Business Health Professions Engineering Computer and Information Science Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	50.9%	92.0%
Dropout rate	48.5%	7.2%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,418 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $48,304 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,500 Year 2: $36,124 Year 3: $46,919 Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $32,614 Year 2: $41,789 Year 3: $41,739 Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,521 Year 2: $41,565 Year 3: $41,719 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,175 Year 2: $40,355 Year 3: $41,194 Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,857 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $40,498 American Sign Language (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,692 Year 2: $35,330 Year 3: $38,260 Journalism (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,841 Year 2: $30,635 Year 3: $37,241 Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,669 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $37,111 Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,065 Year 2: $29,737 Year 3: $36,271	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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