University of Connecticut
STORRS, CT
University of Southern California
LOS ANGELES, CA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Connecticut vs Southern California - US university comparison

University of Connecticut
CONNECTICUT
Storrs, CT
World rank · ARWU#301-400
Acceptance52.39%
Median SAT1340
Graduation rate83.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$74K
University of Southern California
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles, CA
World rank · ARWU#62
Acceptance9.81%
Median SAT1495
Graduation rate91.8%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$92K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Connecticut University of Southern California
#301-400 World rank · ARWU #62
- Rank · THE #72
52.39% Acceptance rate 9.81%
1340 Median SAT 1495
83.3% Graduation rate 91.8%
28,306 Enrollment 46,566

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

52.39% Acceptance rate 9.81%
15.4% Yield rate 43.3%
1340 Median SAT 1495
- Avg. GPA 3.80
55,479 Number of applications 82,027
7.4% Int'l students 13.2%
$74K Median earnings · 10 yrs $92K
$50K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $59K
$109K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $141K
83.3% Graduation rate 91.8%
92% Retention rate 95.6%
$21,500 Median debt $18,000
$44,004 Tuition · year $68,687
$21,535 Avg. aid package $71,169
61.6% % of need met 99.3%
$28,506 Avg. graduate debt $27,678
$80 Application fee $85
$17,282 Avg. int'l aid $25,384
At a glance
Southern California leads in 10 of 11 measured metrics
Acceptance52.39% vs 9.81%
Aid$21,535 vs $71,169
Yield15.4% vs 43.3%

The verdict, from the data

These are two different admissions games: Southern California admits 9.8% of applications, Connecticut admits 52.4%.

The larger international cohort belongs to Southern California: 13.2% of students against 7.4% (Connecticut).

Average aid for an international student is $25,384 (Southern California) and $17,282 (Connecticut).

The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Southern California starts at $89,087 against $64,100 and ends at $17,918 against $42,565 (Connecticut).

None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.

Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.

EXPERT TAKE

Southern California is the more selective of the two (9.81% vs 52.39% acceptance). Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #62). Southern California graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($92K vs $74K). Connecticut has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,004 vs $68,687 per year).

Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.

Choose Connecticut for: lower tuition.

Choose Southern California for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Southern California is more selective (9.81% vs 52.39% acceptance); Southern California has a higher median SAT (1495 vs 1340).

Graduate outcomes

Southern California graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($92K vs $74K); Southern California has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.8% vs 83.3%).

Cost and aid

Connecticut has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,004 vs $68,687); Southern California offers a larger average aid package ($71,169 vs $21,535).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kConnecticutSouthern California TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Connecticut and Southern California highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Connecticut Southern California
World rank · ARWU#301-400#62
Rank · THE-#72
Acceptance rate52.39%9.81%
Yield rate15.4%43.3%
Median SAT13401495
Avg. GPA-3.80
Number of applications55,47982,027
International students7.4%13.2%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$74K$92K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$50K$59K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$109K$141K
Graduation rate83.3%91.8%
Retention rate92%95.6%
Median debt$21,500$18,000
Tuition · year$44,004$68,687
Avg. aid package$21,535$71,169
% of need met61.6%99.3%
Avg. graduate debt$28,506$27,678
Application fee$80$85
Enrollment28,30646,566

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Connecticut or Southern California?

It's harder to get into Southern California. Connecticut accepts 52.39% of applicants, while Southern California accepts 9.81%.

Do Connecticut or Southern California graduates earn more?

Southern California graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $92K vs $74K.

How much is tuition at Connecticut vs Southern California?

Sticker-price tuition is $44,004 per year at Connecticut and $68,687 per year at Southern California.

What SAT score do you need for Connecticut or Southern California?

The median admitted SAT score is 1340 at Connecticut and 1495 at Southern California; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Connecticut or Southern California?

Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Connecticut vs #62 for Southern California.

Which university offers more financial aid - Connecticut or Southern California?

The average aid package is $21,535 at Connecticut and $71,169 at Southern California.

Compare Connecticut with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Cornell Penn Johns Hopkins Washington University Northwestern
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.