1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # University of Southern California Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/university-of-southern-california/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-southern-california/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-southern-california/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at USC? USC’s reported acceptance rate is 9.8%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 9.8% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 83,488 **Admitted** 9,345 Source: University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate The University of Southern California admitted 9.8% of applicants in the most recent cycle, a rate far below the median of 47.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 83,488 applicants, 9,345 admitted, and 3,759 enrolled first-year students. ## What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled USC students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT scores had a middle range of 1470 to 1540. 33% of the entering class submitted SAT scores. For the ACT, the middle range among submitters was 32 to 35, with 12% of the class submitting. These ranges describe the middle half of enrolled students who provided scores, not a minimum for admission. Among enrolled first-year students with a reported class rank, 69% graduated in the top tenth of their high-school class. Applicants can compare their own scores against the university's reported ranges for recent enrolled submitters. The figures describe a portion of the class rather than a cutoff. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at USC. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. **33% of entering students submitted SAT scores** SAT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 1470 **Median** 1510 **75th percentile** 1540 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. **12% of entering students submitted ACT scores** ACT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 32 **Median** 33 **75th percentile** 35 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. Source: University of Southern California Common Data Set 2025-26, C9 · Enrolled first-time, first-year score submitters. ## Who enrolls at USC? **Pell Grant recipients** 22.2% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 27.8% **First-year retention** 95.9% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. The University of Southern California enrolls 20,443 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 22.2% of undergraduates, and an estimated 27.8% of students enter as transfers or part-time students. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 83,488 first-year applicants, 9,345 admitted students, and 3,759 enrolled students for the fall entering class. For transfer applicants that same cycle, 10,827 applied, 2,929 were admitted, and 1,544 enrolled. The composition suggests a large, selective institution that draws heavily from both first-year and transfer pathways. Pell-eligible applicants should prepare for a competitive process and submit the strongest application they can. Transfer applicants face a selective process as well and should present a clear academic record from their prior institution. The University of Southern California posts a [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 91.8% for its first-time, full-time cohort, well above the peer median of 80.0% for comparable institutions. Pell Grant recipients in that cohort complete at 86.4%, below the overall rate by 5.4 percentage points. First-year retention sits at 95.9%, also above the peer median of 90.1%. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported a retention rate of 95% for the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class. Enrolled students can expect a university where the large majority of first-year students persist and where graduation outcomes for the entering class as a whole exceed those of comparable institutions. The Pell completion figure, while strong in absolute terms, trails the overall rate, a pattern worth weighing alongside the university's high mobility standing. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).