University Of Southern California

University of Southern California's published cost of attendance is $90,300. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $13,516, middle-income families pay around $19,539, and higher-income families pay approximately $56,116.

Azimuth ranks University of Southern California #1111 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

University of Southern California participates in federal need-based aid programs (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The institution's mission-driven focus on music education shapes both its student body and its financial-aid strategy, with aid packages designed to support students pursuing careers in music teaching and performance. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $18,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $31,803; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $95,739, median federal debt of $18,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $203 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of University of Southern California earn median earnings of $95,739 four years after enrollment, placing University of Southern California in the 93.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $95,739 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $9,827 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 21.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Southern California #156 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects a business-anchored program mix — Business accounts for 22% of degrees, followed by Arts at 11% and Social Sciences at 11%. Business Administration combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a central driver of the institution's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Business Administration #13 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 832 graduates earning median earnings of $109,128 four years after enrollment. Communication and Media Studies ranks #14 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 326 graduates earning $75,864, and Computer Science ranks #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 287 graduates earning $192,897.

Among the most popular fields, Human Biology program graduates 261 students annually with median earnings of $69,751, while The Economics program graduates 210 students earning $94,435 — spanning professional and applied fields that feed directly into CA's deep labor market in media, technology, healthcare, and finance.

University of Southern California is a specialized music education institution anchored in a single dominant program family. Music Education is the largest and defining program, graduating 832 students annually with median four-year earnings of $109,128.

Across 72 programs serving roughly 5,633 students annually, the institution's portfolio concentrates almost entirely on music pedagogy and performance pathways — a signature that reflects its mission as a conservatory-style teacher-training institution rather than a broad liberal arts or research university. The earnings pattern at University of Southern California reflects the realities of music education labor markets.

Computer Science graduates earn median four-year earnings of $192,897, positioning the institution's highest-earning pathway within the context of education-sector compensation. Unlike institutions with diversified program portfolios spanning engineering, business, and health fields, University of Southern California's outcomes are shaped by the fact that nearly all graduates enter education or performance-adjacent careers — pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because many music educators see earnings growth through advanced degrees, administrative roles, or private instruction income that Scorecard data does not fully capture.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides useful context: music education sits in a sector with stable but modest wage growth and significant geographic variation in hiring. For students committed to music pedagogy or performance, University of Southern California's specialized focus and concentrated alumni network in the music education field can provide meaningful advantages in job placement and professional community — outcomes that extend beyond the four-year earnings snapshot and reflect the institution's distinctive market position.