Stony Brook vs Southern California - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Southern California: 9.8% against 49% (Stony Brook).
Average aid for an international student is $25,384 (Southern California) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Southern California starts at $89,087 against $55,085 and ends at $17,918 against $39,824 (Stony Brook).
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Southern California: $92K against $75K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 49.04% 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 $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 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 Stony Brook for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
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
Southern California is more selective (9.81% vs 49.04% acceptance); Southern California has a higher median SAT (1495 vs 1410).
Southern California graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($92K vs $75K); Southern California has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.8% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $68,687); Southern California offers a larger average aid package ($71,169 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Stony Brook | Southern California |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #62 |
| Rank · THE | - | #72 |
| Acceptance rate | 49.04% | 9.81% |
| Yield rate | 14.7% | 43.3% |
| Median SAT | 1410 | 1495 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.80 |
| Number of applications | 55,880 | 82,027 |
| International students | 10.2% | 13.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $75K | $92K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $49K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $107K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 75.6% | 91.8% |
| Retention rate | 89.7% | 95.6% |
| Median debt | $18,228 | $18,000 |
| Tuition · year | $32,741 | $68,687 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,261 | $71,169 |
| % of need met | 0.6% | 99.3% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $23,558 | $27,678 |
| Application fee | - | $85 |
| Enrollment | 26,689 | 46,566 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Stony Brook or Southern California?
It's harder to get into Southern California. Stony Brook accepts 49.04% of applicants, while Southern California accepts 9.81%.
Do Stony Brook or Southern California graduates earn more?
Southern California graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $92K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Stony Brook vs Southern California?
Sticker-price tuition is $32,741 per year at Stony Brook and $68,687 per year at Southern California.
What SAT score do you need for Stony Brook or Southern California?
The median admitted SAT score is 1410 at Stony Brook and 1495 at Southern California; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Stony Brook or Southern California?
Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Stony Brook vs #62 for Southern California.
Which university offers more financial aid - Stony Brook or Southern California?
The average aid package is $15,261 at Stony Brook and $71,169 at Southern California.
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