Southern California vs Dartmouth - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Dartmouth awards international students $87,562 on average, Southern California awards $25,384.
At 6% and 9.8%, both admissions processes remain a lottery for any candidate; the difference between them is not an argument here.
Students admitted to both more often choose Dartmouth (70.9% enrol, against 43.3%).
These admissions operate at different scales: Southern California reads 82,027 applications a year, its rival 28,230.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
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
Dartmouth is the more selective of the two (6.02% vs 9.81% acceptance). Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#62 vs #301-400). Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $92K). Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $71,525 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 Southern California for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition.
Choose Dartmouth for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dartmouth is more selective (6.02% vs 9.81% acceptance); Dartmouth has a higher median SAT (1520 vs 1495).
Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $92K); Dartmouth has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.5% vs 91.8%).
Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $71,525); Dartmouth offers a larger average aid package ($75,301 vs $71,169).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Southern California | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #62 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #72 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 9.81% | 6.02% |
| Yield rate | 43.3% | 70.9% |
| Median SAT | 1495 | 1520 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.80 | - |
| Number of applications | 82,027 | 28,230 |
| International students | 13.2% | 14.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $97K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $59K | $65K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $189K |
| Graduation rate | 91.8% | 95.5% |
| Retention rate | 95.6% | 98% |
| Median debt | $18,000 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,687 | $71,525 |
| Avg. aid package | $71,169 | $75,301 |
| % of need met | 99.3% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,678 | $24,255 |
| Application fee | $85 | - |
| Enrollment | 46,566 | 7,273 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Southern California or Dartmouth?
It's harder to get into Dartmouth. Southern California accepts 9.81% of applicants, while Dartmouth accepts 6.02%.
Do Southern California or Dartmouth graduates earn more?
Dartmouth graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $97K vs $92K.
How much is tuition at Southern California vs Dartmouth?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,687 per year at Southern California and $71,525 per year at Dartmouth.
What SAT score do you need for Southern California or Dartmouth?
The median admitted SAT score is 1495 at Southern California and 1520 at Dartmouth; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Southern California or Dartmouth?
Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #62 for Southern California vs #301-400 for Dartmouth.
Which university offers more financial aid - Southern California or Dartmouth?
The average aid package is $71,169 at Southern California and $75,301 at Dartmouth.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern