Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
USC graduates demonstrate consistent earning power with steady growth from early to mid-career periods. Median earnings progress from $74,461 six years after enrollment to $87,601 at eight years and $92,498 at ten years, representing 24.2% growth between the six-year and ten-year measurement points.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $18,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
USC graduates manage relatively controlled debt levels despite the institution's high sticker price. Median student debt reaches $18,000, well below the peer median of $23,168, creating a favorable $5,168 advantage over similar institutions.
University of Southern California delivers excellent return on investment, ranking at the 94.5th percentile nationally with top-tier performance across multiple outcome measures. USC graduates earn $92,498 ten years after enrollment, placing the university at the 97th percentile for long-term earnings nationwide.
Approximately 25.7% of USC graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with high confidence in this estimate based on program mix analysis. ...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
USC's strongest earning programs drive institutional return performance through exceptional market outcomes. Computer Science leads at $143,152 median earnings with 247 graduates, demonstrating consistent technology sector placement.
Mechanical Engineering produces $93,001 with 96 graduates, while Business Administration delivers $87,767 across 1,020 graduates, representing scale and consistency. Accounting achieves $90,072 with strong cohort size, and International Relations reaches $73,645, reflecting USC's diverse program strengths.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
USC's earnings distribution reveals substantial upward mobility potential across program areas. The gap between 25th percentile earnings ($58,692) and 75th percentile outcomes ($141,338) creates a 2.4:1 ratio, indicating significant career advancement opportunities for ambitious graduates.
