Southern California vs Washington University - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Washington University ($68,438 on average), while Southern California stops at $25,384.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Washington University: a midpoint of 1540 against 1495, a difference of 45 points.
More than twice the application volume goes to Southern California (82,027 against 32,754), which changes how any single file is read.
Tuition is practically the same ($68,687 against $69,594), so financial aid, not the sticker price, will decide the cost.
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 12.1% acceptance). Washington University ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#62 vs #23). Southern California graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($92K vs $86K). Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $69,594 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: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, higher retention.
Choose Washington University for: a higher world ranking, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Southern California is more selective (9.81% vs 12.1% acceptance); Washington University has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1495).
Southern California graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($92K vs $86K); Washington University has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.3% vs 91.8%).
Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $69,594); Washington University offers a larger average aid package ($75,604 vs $71,169).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Southern California | Washington University |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #62 | #23 |
| Rank · THE | #72 | #69 |
| Acceptance rate | 9.81% | 12.1% |
| Yield rate | 43.3% | 46.7% |
| Median SAT | 1495 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.80 | 4.19 |
| Number of applications | 82,027 | 32,754 |
| International students | 13.2% | 9.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $86K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $59K | $61K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $137K |
| Graduation rate | 91.8% | 94.3% |
| Retention rate | 95.6% | 95% |
| Median debt | $18,000 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,687 | $69,594 |
| Avg. aid package | $71,169 | $75,604 |
| % of need met | 99.3% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,678 | $26,666 |
| Application fee | $85 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 46,566 | 16,357 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Southern California or Washington University?
It's harder to get into Southern California. Southern California accepts 9.81% of applicants, while Washington University accepts 12.1%.
Do Southern California or Washington University graduates earn more?
Southern California graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $92K vs $86K.
How much is tuition at Southern California vs Washington University?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,687 per year at Southern California and $69,594 per year at Washington University.
What SAT score do you need for Southern California or Washington University?
The median admitted SAT score is 1495 at Southern California and 1540 at Washington University; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Southern California or Washington University?
Washington University ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #62 for Southern California vs #23 for Washington University.
Which university offers more financial aid - Southern California or Washington University?
The average aid package is $71,169 at Southern California and $75,604 at Washington University.
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