University of Southern California

University of Southern California is a very large private non-profit R1 doctoral research university located in Los Angeles, California, with an undergraduate enrollment of 20,443. As a Carnegie R1 doctoral research institution, it supports graduate and professional programs across a broad range of academic disciplines alongside its undergraduate curriculum, with faculty engaged in funded research programs. As an independently governed, non-profit institution relying on tuition, endowment returns, and philanthropic support, it operates within the broader California postsecondary education landscape and is regionally accredited, making its credits and degrees eligible for federal financial aid. With a 10% acceptance rate, admission is selective. Applicants are evaluated on a competitive basis, with roughly 10 out of every 100 candidates offered admission. Net price for families earning \$48,001–$75,000 averages $19,539 per year. The highest program-level earnings outcomes are in CIP 00 — 10-year median earnings among aid recipients in these fields reach $203,028. The 4-year graduation rate is 92%, 47 percentage points above the national average of 45%. Among students who received federal financial aid, 10-year median earnings are $92,498. FIRE rates the campus free speech climate at 52/100 — a mixed record on speech protections.