What are the acceptance rates at USC and UCLA for the Class of 2030?
USC admitted 10,006 of 79,331 first-year applicants for fall 2026, a 12.6% admission rate, and 3,766 students enrolled (USC First-Year Student Profile 2026-2027). Early Decision and Early Action applicants were admitted at 9.3% (3,840 of 41,202) and Regular Decision applicants at 10.7% (4,098 of 38,129), by our calculation, and USC admitted another 2,068 students who had been deferred from the early rounds. UCLA has not yet posted a fall 2026 profile. For fall 2025, UCLA admitted 13,659 of 145,085 first-year applicants, a 9.4% rate, and 6,553 enrolled (UCLA First-Year Profile, Fall 2025). Neither profile gives admit rates by state of residence. Our USC acceptance rate and UCLA acceptance rate guides track the multi-year trends.
| School | Entering class | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrolled | Yield | Middle 50% SAT of admits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC | Fall 2026 | 79,331 | 10,006 | 12.6% | 3,766 | 37.6% | 1490 to 1550 |
| UCLA | Fall 2025 | 145,085 | 13,659 | 9.4% | 6,553 | 48.0% | Not considered |
Selectivity also varies by school within UCLA. For fall 2025, the College admitted 11% of first-year applicants, the Samueli School of Engineering 6.8%, the School of Theater, Film and Television 4.3% and the School of Nursing 0.5% (UCLA First-Year Profile). USC does not publish admit rates by school in its profile. In our experience, the choice of major matters at both universities, so applicants should compare the program they want, not only the overall rate.
How does USC's merit-aid program change the financial calculus versus UCLA?
USC Merit Scholarships, administered by the Office of Admission, range from a few thousand dollars up to full tuition (USC Scholarships); the named tiers are the Trustee (full tuition), Presidential (half tuition) and Deans (one-quarter tuition) scholarships. Applicants to most majors are considered only if they apply Early Decision or Early Action by November 1; applicants to dance, dramatic arts and music are considered if they apply by December 1 (USC first-year applicants). USC says that last year over 1,000 admitted students earned scholarships of $10,000 per year or more, about 10% of the fall 2026 entering class received a merit scholarship, and admitted National Merit Finalists who list USC as their first choice receive $20,000 a year. In the 2024-25 cycle, more than 40,000 students applied by the scholarship deadline and about 1,000 were invited in late January to interview for the Presidential and Trustee scholarships (USC admission blog). UCLA says it offers scholarships based on need, academic merit, background, specific talents or professional interests (UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships), but it does not publish a ladder of named merit awards like the USC tiers on the pages we checked. In the view of Oriel Admissions, for a family that will not qualify for need-based aid, the November 1 USC deadline is the most important date in this comparison. Our USC merit scholarships guide covers the tiers in detail.
What is the cost-of-attendance comparison for in-state and out-of-state students?
USC estimates a 2026-27 cost of attendance of $103,162, including $77,336 in tuition and fees, for every undergraduate regardless of residency (USC First-Year Student Profile). UCLA estimates $45,500 for California residents living in a residence hall and $84,770 for nonresidents, who add $39,270 in nonresident supplemental tuition (UCLA Tuition and Fees, updated July 2026). At those published budgets, a California resident paying full price would spend about $57,662 a year more at USC and a nonresident about $18,392 a year more, by our calculation before any aid. Need-based aid narrows the gap for many families: under the USC Affordability Initiative, admitted first-year students from U.S. families earning $80,000 or less, with typical assets, attend tuition-free, and under the UC Blue and Gold plan, most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grant and scholarship funds to cover UC tuition.
| Cost and aid dimension | USC | UCLA |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Private; one cost for all students | Public; California residents pay less than nonresidents |
| 2026-27 estimated cost of attendance | $103,162 (tuition and fees $77,336) | $45,500 California residents; $84,770 nonresidents (residence hall) |
| Need-based tuition floor | Tuition-free for U.S. families earning $80,000 or less, with typical assets | Most California families earning up to $100,000 have UC tuition covered (Blue and Gold) |
| Admission and need | Need-blind; meets full USC-determined need | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| Students receiving aid | About two-thirds of the fall 2026 entering class received some financial assistance | 78% of first-years received financial aid (2023) |
| Merit scholarships | Trustee (full tuition), Presidential (half), Deans (one-quarter); apply by November 1 for most majors | Scholarships based on need, merit, background, talents or interests; no published tier ladder |
Which school has stronger programs in film, business, and engineering?
Both universities admit students to specific schools. At UCLA, the School of Theater, Film and Television admitted 4.3% of first-year applicants for fall 2025 and the Samueli School of Engineering 6.8% (UCLA First-Year Profile). At USC, 17% of the fall 2026 entering class enrolled in the visual, performing and creative arts schools, which include Cinematic Arts, Dramatic Arts and the Thornton School of Music, and 12% in the Viterbi School of Engineering (USC First-Year Student Profile). USC also offers the World Bachelor in Business through the Marshall School of Business, which accepts applications only by November 1. In our experience, a student set on film, theater or music should weigh the portfolio and audition requirements of each program as heavily as the overall admit rate, and a student set on engineering or computer science should compare the specific major at each school.
What are the differences in campus culture and student life?
USC is a private university in Los Angeles; its fall 2026 entering class enrolled 3,648 students on the Los Angeles campus and 118 on its Washington, D.C. campus, and 19% of the class were international students. USC also reports that 21% of the class are first-generation college-goers (USC First-Year Student Profile). UCLA is a public university in Westwood, in Los Angeles; 9% of its fall 2025 entering class were international students, the class represented 59 countries, and 26% of domestic first-years are first-generation college students (UCLA First-Year Profile). In our experience, scale is the difference students feel most: UCLA enrolled 6,553 first-years for fall 2025, against 3,766 at USC for fall 2026. For more on each campus, see what USC is known for and what UCLA is known for.
How do the admissions processes differ in what they reward?
USC uses the Common Application with transcripts, a personal statement and short answers, an activities list, and a counselor or teacher recommendation form and letter. It is test optional, says applicants without scores are not disadvantaged in admission or scholarship selection, and reports that 61% of fall 2026 admits and 48% of enrollees submitted scores (USC First-Year Student Profile). USC does not conduct admission interviews and does not track demonstrated interest, although some schools interview as part of their additional requirements (USC first-year applicants). UCLA uses the University of California application: applicants answer four of eight Personal Insight Questions in up to 350 words each, UCLA does not use letters of recommendation or interviews except for specialty supplemental applications, and SAT and ACT scores are not considered for admission or scholarships (UCLA first-year requirements). Our guides on whether USC requires the SAT and whether UCLA requires the SAT cover the testing rules.
Where do USC and UCLA graduates end up professionally?
Neither admissions office publishes a comparable first-destination summary on the pages we checked, so this answer reflects our experience rather than data. In our experience, USC Marshall and the World Bachelor in Business give business-minded students a direct undergraduate business route, USC arts programs connect students to the Los Angeles entertainment industry, and UCLA research depth helps students headed to graduate study in the sciences. Both universities sit in the same Los Angeles job market, so internships in entertainment, technology and health care are within reach from either campus.
What is the cross-admit pattern between USC and UCLA?
Neither USC nor UCLA publishes cross-admit data, so any precise split is a guess. What the published numbers do show is the shape of the decision: an admitted California resident compares $45,500 a year at UCLA with $103,162 at USC before aid, while an admitted nonresident compares $84,770 with $103,162. In our experience, California residents without a USC merit award usually find the cost gap decisive, while nonresidents weigh program fit and any USC scholarship more heavily.
How should families approach applying to both?
For most majors, USC rewards an early start. Early Decision and Early Action were both due November 1, 2026, and only those rounds, plus the December 1 performing arts deadline, carry merit scholarship consideration; Early Action is non-binding and non-restrictive, while Early Decision is binding. Regular Decision for other majors is due January 10, 2027, with decisions by April 1 (USC first-year applicants). The University of California application for fall 2027 is filed between October 1 and November 30, 2026 (UC Admissions). Because both deadlines fall in November, in our experience the cleanest plan is to finish the USC application by late October and the Personal Insight Questions by mid-November. Our guides on how to get into USC and how to get into UCLA cover each application in depth.
Should higher-income families weight cost or program fit more heavily?
At the published 2026-27 budgets, four years at full price cost about $230,648 more at USC than at UCLA for a California resident and about $73,568 more for a nonresident, by our calculation before tuition increases or aid. Those gaps are large enough that, in the view of Oriel Admissions, program fit should decide only when the programs genuinely differ for the student. A student admitted to a specific USC arts program, or to the World Bachelor in Business, may reasonably pay more for that fit. A California resident with the same major available at both universities and no USC scholarship will usually find UCLA the stronger value. Families also weighing the Northern California campus should see our UC Berkeley vs UCLA comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions About USC vs UCLA Admissions
By the latest published rates, UCLA. UCLA admitted 9.4% of 145,085 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and USC admitted 12.6% of 79,331 for fall 2026. UCLA has not yet published fall 2026 figures, and neither university gives admit rates by residency in its profile. Rates also vary by school: UCLA admitted 4.3% to Theater, Film and Television and 6.8% to Samueli Engineering for fall 2025.
UCLA says it offers scholarships based on need, academic merit, background, specific talents or professional interests, but it does not publish a ladder of named merit awards like the USC Trustee, Presidential and Deans scholarships. UCLA says most grants are awarded based on need, and it reports that 78% of first-years received financial aid in 2023.
The Trustee Scholarship is the top USC Merit Scholarship and covers full tuition. To be considered, apply Early Decision or Early Action by November 1, or by December 1 for dance, dramatic arts and music. In the 2024-25 cycle, USC says more than 40,000 students applied by the scholarship deadline and about 1,000 were invited in late January to interview for the Presidential and Trustee scholarships. USC publishes no GPA or test cutoff.
Yes, if you want merit scholarship consideration and are not applying to a performing arts major. Early Action was due November 1, 2026, is non-binding and non-restrictive, and carries merit consideration; Regular Decision applicants to most majors, due January 10, 2027, are not considered for USC Merit Scholarships. Early Decision is also due November 1 and also carries merit consideration, but it is binding.
No. UCLA says SAT and ACT scores are not considered for admission or scholarships, though scores can still be used for purposes such as course placement after admission. USC is test optional, and 61% of its fall 2026 admits submitted scores.
USC uses the Common Application with a personal statement, short answers, an activities list and a recommendation, and it does not interview or track demonstrated interest. UCLA uses the University of California application, with four of eight Personal Insight Questions of up to 350 words each and no letters of recommendation or interviews except for specialty supplemental applications.
At published 2026-27 budgets, UCLA costs a California resident $45,500 a year in a residence hall against $103,162 at USC, a gap of about $57,662 a year by our calculation before aid. Oriel Admissions treats a USC merit award, or a program the student can only get at USC, as the main reason a California family would pay that difference.
Yes. The applications are separate: USC uses the Common Application, with Early Decision and Early Action due November 1, 2026, and UCLA uses the University of California application, filed between October 1 and November 30, 2026. Applying Early Action to USC does not restrict any other application, while Early Decision to USC is binding.
Sources: USC First-Year Student Profile 2026-2027; USC first-year applicants; USC Scholarships; USC admission blog, scholarship FAQs; UCLA First-Year Profile, Fall 2025; UCLA Tuition and Fees; UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships; UCLA first-year requirements; University of California, applying as a first-year; UC Blue and Gold.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey and New York. Our team brings deep expertise across every dimension of the application, and our distinctive 360 approach develops strategy, positioning, activities, essays, and interviews as one coherent whole. We offer a complimentary 30-minute discovery call to discuss your family’s situation, evaluate fit, and outline next steps. Schedule your discovery call →
