Updated April 19, 2026
University of Southern California Acceptance Rate
What is attending the University of Southern California like?
Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is the oldest private research university in California. At any given time, the University is home to nearly 50,000 students across two primary campuses in Los Angeles and specialized sites in Alhambra, Sacramento, and Washington, DC.
As one of the nation’s top research universities, USC encompasses twenty-three academic schools, including the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the Marshall School of Business, and the Viterbi School of Engineering. The University offers over 150 majors and numerous minors, and is particularly acclaimed for its programs in film, journalism, business, engineering, and architecture.
Beyond academics, USC fosters a vibrant extracurricular scene. With over 1,000 student organizations, including clubs devoted to improv, 3D printing, debate, student government, athletics, arts, volunteering, and cultural groups, students have ample opportunity for involvement. The USC Village further anchors student life, where students may mingle with classmates, enjoy international cuisine, and shop.
University of Southern California 2024-2025 Admissions Data
University of Southern California 2024-2025 Admissions Statistics
As an acclaimed university, USC has a highly selective admissions process, with just 11% of students receiving an admissions offer during the 2024-25 admissions cycle (9,345 admissions out of a pool of 83,488 applicants), a slight increase from 9.8% during the 2023-2024 cycle, the lowest acceptance rate in the University’s history. While USC has previously only offered Early Action and Regular Decision application timelines, the University is adding an Early Decision cycle for most majors (with the exception of performing arts majors) beginning with the 2025-2026 admissions cycle. If you’d like to apply, you can choose from the Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision deadlines.
If you are sure that USC is your first choice, applying Early Decision offers a way to demonstrate your serious interest in the University. Do bear in mind that Early Decision is binding and restrictive, meaning that, if admitted, you’ll be required to enroll at USC and withdraw any outstanding applications to other schools.
If you’re relatively sure that USC is the school for you, but want more time to make your decision, the University also offers a non-binding, non-restrictive Early Action admissions schedule.
2024-2025 (Class of 2029) Acceptance Rate*
| Admission Cycle | Number of applicants | Deferred | Number admitted | Acceptance rate |
| Early Action | 42,119 | 34,983 | 3,524 | 8% |
| Regular Decision | 41,369 | N/A | 5,821 | 8% |
University Acceptance Rate History*
| Year | Number of applicants | Number admitted | Acceptance rate |
| 2023-2024 (Class of 2028) | 82,027 | 8,050 | 9.8% |
| 2022-2023 (Class of 2027) | 79,936 | 7,998 | 10% |
| 2021-2022 (Class of 2026) | 69,062 | 8,304 | 12% |
| 2020-2021 (Class of 2025) | 71,031 | 8,884 | 13% |
University of Southern California Class of 2029 Middle 50% score range of admitted students (25th and 75th percentiles)*
| SAT Composite | 1490-1550 |
| ACT Composite | 33-35 |
*What does this mean? The middle 50% score range refers to students from the 25th to the 75th percentile of admitted students. So if 100 students were admitted and we ranked their SAT scores from lowest to highest, we’d be looking at 50 students’ stats (from student 25 through student 75).
What is the University of Southern California looking for?
Admissions at USC are competitive, due to the sheer number of applications the school receives each year. While the University conducts a holistic review of each candidate, they list their first priority as admitting students who will thrive at the University. Accordingly, admissions officers look for students who have taken the most rigorous courses as possible and succeeded. While USC is test-optional, the University lists test scores as a very important aspect of a student’s application. Further, admissions officers indicate that detailed, comprehensive teacher/counselor recommendations are crucial to understanding a prospective student as part of an academic and social community.
Beyond academics, the University states on its admissions page that successful applicants are those able to paint a comprehensive portrait of themselves as unique individuals, with intellectual and extracurricular curiosity, willingness to go above and beyond, and enthusiasm about becoming a part of the Trojan community and tradition.
You can demonstrate your unique perspective through your essays, academic profile, letters of recommendation, and activities.
Other colleges you may be interested in:
| College Name | Number of applicants (Class of 2029) | Number admitted (Class of 2029) | Acceptance rate (Class of 2029) |
| University of California- Los Angeles | 145,086 | 13,659 | 9% |
| New York University | >120,000 | data unavailable | 8% |
| Northwestern University | > 53,000 | data unavailable | 7% |
PrepMaven can help you in the admissions process
Thinking of applying to the University of Southern California? PrepMaven can help you along the way. Whether you’re looking to boost your test scores, write a killer personal statement, or improve your GPA, we can be a helpful resource. With tutors who are graduates of top universities, valedictorians, National Merit Finalists, and National AP Scholars, we’re here to help you no matter what step you’re at in the admissions process.
Give us a call at 609-945-2264 or fill out our website form to learn how our flexible packages can work for you.
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Grace
Grace graduated magna cum laude from Princeton and received her MA with distinction from Georgetown. During her time at Princeton, she worked as a peer writing tutor, providing tailored feedback to students and alumni to aid the clarity and efficacy of essays, grant proposals, and fellowship applications. Since then, she has continued to work as a writing tutor, coaching countless students through the process of crafting effective college applications. She currently works in Washington, DC in policy and political communications.