Stanford University vs University of Southern California

Stanford, CA · Los Angeles, CA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair CA:CA

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · SAME-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • SAME-STATE Same state · CA
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

One campus shows net-price relief; the peer does not

NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023

Over 2013–2023, only one school has a directional decline in average net price; the other stays a measured range. Cost gaps on this board are moving targets, not fixed snapshot deltas.

  • Stanford University: average net price fell -22.8% from $15,713 (2013) to $12,136 (2023), r² 0.57.
  • University of Southern California: net price ranged $25,972–$32,569 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +12.6% is not a trend (r² 0.08).
  • Stanford University: acceptance rate tightened -31.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.71).
  • University of Southern California: acceptance rate tightened -49.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.80).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Stanford University vs University of Southern California

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Stanford University leads on acceptance rate (3.6% vs 9.8% at University of Southern California)
  2. AVG-NET-PRICE Stanford University leads on avg net price ($13,807 vs $32,740 at University of Southern California)
  3. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Stanford University leads on median debt at graduation ($12,000 vs $18,000 at University of Southern California)

Stanford University profile · University of Southern California profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Stanford University and University of Southern California?▼
Stanford University leads on acceptance rate at 3.6% versus 9.8% at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On avg net price, who leads between Stanford University and University of Southern California?▼
Stanford University leads on avg net price at $13,807 versus $32,740 at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Stanford University and University of Southern California?▼
Stanford University leads on median debt at graduation at $12,000 versus $18,000 at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025